Uncle Zhong chuckled and said, "Zhirui, why don't you thank him quickly? If it weren't for him showing mercy, you'd be paralyzed for the rest of your life."
"Uncle Zhong, are you sure you're not joking? How could a little fraud like him be this capable? It's probably just a coincidence." Xie Zirui completely refused to believe Chen Tianyang.
Chen Tianyang silently shook his head, mentally cursed him as an idiot, then turned away and ignored him.
Suddenly, the door to a nearby bedroom pushed open, and a middle-aged doctor in a white lab coat walked out.
Without waiting for Chen Tianyang, Xie Yongguo immediately stood up and walked over anxiously, asking, "Doctor Hu, how is my dad?"
Doctor Hu shook his head, sighed, and said, "To be honest, the situation is not optimistic."
The expressions of the Xie Family members instantly changed.
Even Xie Yongguo, who had seen all kinds of storms, couldn't help turning ashen-faced.
Han Muqing's expression also turned somewhat ugly as she muttered to herself, "Doctor Hu is a top-tier neurologist nationwide. If even he has no way out, doesn't that mean there's no hope left?"
Chen Tianyang shook his head and said, "Not necessarily. Experts aren't absolute authorities. Just because he can't cure it doesn't mean others have no way."
His voice was not low, and Doctor Hu immediately turned to look at Chen Tianyang, frowning as he asked, "Who are you?"
Chen Tianyang smiled and said, "What a coincidence, I'm a doctor too, and a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine."
Hu Wenguang sneered, saying dismissively, "Traditional Chinese Medicine has long been outdated and simply cannot compare to scientifically systematic Western medicine. Look at how young you are—you've merely picked up some backward, dross medical techniques, yet you actually dare to come out and show off. Today's young people really have no idea what humility is."
Xie Yongguo and the others nodded inwardly; Traditional Chinese Medicine was empirical medicine and naturally could not compare to scientific modern medicine.
Chen Tianyang said disdainfully, "To think you're an expert, yet your vision is so short-sighted. Based on this view of yours, I dare say you don't understand Traditional Chinese Medicine at all."
Hu Wenguang flew into a rage and said, "Ridiculous! I am good friends with Liang Bonan, a leading authority in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and even he wouldn't dare say such a thing. Which TCM academy did you graduate from, that you dare to come here and question me?"
Chen Tianyang shook his head and said, "I never went to a TCM academy, but I know that Traditional Chinese Medicine is profound and vast. Only fame-seeking frauds would ever doubt its efficacy."
These words were practically pointing at Hu Wenguang's nose and cursing him.
As a top domestic expert, who didn't treat him with utmost politeness whenever they met?
Infuriated, Hu Wenguang snapped, "So young, yet so arrogant! Since that's the case, do you dare make a bet with me? If you fail to cure Elder Xie, you'll immediately kneel and kowtow in apology."
Chen Tianyang smiled playfully and said, "Alright, if I lose, not only will I kneel and kowtow in apology, but I will also sever one of my own arms. And what if you lose?"
Everyone gasped in unison, never expecting Chen Tianyang to be so ruthless to himself.
Xie Zirui mocked, "Moron! The old man's condition is that severe, yet he still dares to bet. He's simply seeking his own death!"
Hu Wenguang's eyes lit up. You asked for this yourself! He said, "Fine! If I lose, not only will I offer you a formal apology, but I will also publicly admit that Western medicine is inferior to Traditional Chinese Medicine."
"It's a deal!" Chen Tianyang said with a faint smile, looking as though victory was already in his grasp.
Led by Xie Yongguo, Chen Tianyang arrived before Xie Anxiang's hospital bed to find an old man unconscious on the bed, his face pale and eye sockets sunken, looking at a glance like he didn't have many days left.
Chen Tianyang frowned and asked, "By the way, what illness does the old man have again?"
As soon as these words left his mouth, everyone nearly collapsed to the floor.
Damn it, he didn't even know what the illness was, yet he dared to make a bet with Hu Wenguang! How could this kid be so reckless?
With a soft snort, Xie Xingxuan almost laughed out loud, but instantly realizing the inappropriate setting, she hurriedly forced it back.
Han Muqing was startled. Such crucial information, and she had actually forgotten to tell Chen Tianyang. Now they were truly finished.
Hu Wenguang smugly said, "Brain cancer, and late-stage brain cancer at that. How about it? Can you cure this disease?"
For the first time, Chen Tianyang revealed a solemn expression. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I am going to begin treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine is never taught to outsiders, so everyone irrelevant should step outside."
Hu Wenguang's expression shifted, and he then sneered, "I just want to see what tricks you can possibly pull off."
After everyone left, Chen Tianyang checked Xie Anxiang's condition and found it deeply discouraging. The tumor inside his brain was already very large and was pressing against the nerves; no wonder surgery was out of the question.
However, Chen Tianyang was not entirely without options.
He pulled a yellow box from his pocket containing nine silver needles of varying lengths and thicknesses. If any TCM expert were present at that moment, they would have been shaken beyond belief.
Above are the Nine Heavens!
Below are the Nine Provinces!
Man has Nine Apertures!
Medicine has Nine Needles!
As recorded in the *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon*, "The Nine Needles: small enough that nothing is within, large enough that nothing is without; vague and boundless, flowing without limit, they accord with the Way of Heaven, human affairs, and the transformations of the four seasons."
What Chen Tianyang had studied was precisely the "Nine Needles of Heaven," legendary for being passed down by the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan. When mastered to the highest realm, all nine needles would be unleashed together, capable of restoring vitality and transforming bones, with boundless profundity.
Therefore, Volume Four of *Collected Gems of Acupuncture and Moxibustion* also recorded the "Nine Needles Vitality-Restoring Chant," though unfortunately it had long since been lost.
It was entirely by chance that Chen Tianyang had found a half-volume remnant of the "Nine Needles of Heaven" among his master's hidden books.
Precisely because of this, Chen Tianyang had currently only mastered the third needle. Even so, treating Xie Anxiang's brain cancer was not a major problem.
Chen Tianyang collected his focus and calmed his mind, holding a silver needle between his fingers and inserting it directly into Xie Anxiang's Baihui acupoint.
In all acupuncture practice, tonify the deficient and drain the excess; the essentials of deficiency and excess lie in the wonder of the nine needles.
Chen Tianyang used the silver needles to pierce the acupoints in Elder Xie Anxiang's brain, directing his internal Qi through the needles to gently stimulate the tumor within the brain, causing it to slowly dissolve before being discharged.
This method sounded simple when spoken aloud, but execution was exponentially difficult, demanding that the practitioner possess profound internal cultivation.
One could say that under heaven, Chen Tianyang was the only person capable of treating Xie Anxiang.
If anyone had been standing nearby, they would have seen a layer of cyan Qi covering the silver needles, radiating a faint glow. Xie Anxiang's complexion also began to slowly grow rosy.
The Xie Family members waited together outside the room. As time ticked by, the triumphant look in Hu Wenguang's eyes grew stronger and stronger. He sneered, "It's been almost an hour. Could Chen Tianyang be hiding inside not daring to come out? Self-severing an arm is a small matter, but delaying Elder Xie's condition is the real disaster. Family Head Xie, you'd better watch out."
"Shut up!" Han Muqing glared at him, though in her heart she didn't have much confidence either.
When she first invited Chen Tianyang over, she had only been holding a wait-and-see attitude. Who could have imagined the situation would turn this severe? Had she known, she wouldn't have brought Chen Tianyang along.
Xie Zirui chimed in, "Sister Qing, I think Doctor Hu makes sense. The old man doesn't have an ordinary illness. Unless Chen Tianyang started studying medicine from his mother's womb, there's simply no way he can cure him."
Suddenly, the door to the room pushed open. Chen Tianyang slowly stepped out and smiled, "What's this? You're all waiting at the door for me—are you planning to recruit me as a live-in son-in-law? Let me make it clear first, I won't take anyone uglier than Sister Qing."
Xie Xingxuan was the princess of the Xie Family; mentioning a live-in son-in-law wasn't this outright flirting with her? Her face instantly flushed red with shame, mixed with secret annoyance.
Hu Wenguang sneered, "You delayed Elder Xie's condition, yet you still dare to come out? Cut off your own arm and apologize to the Xie Family. That might just save your little life."
Chen Tianyang said in astonishment, "I was wondering what dog was barking wildly—turns out it was you, this quack doctor. Why should I cut off my own arm?"
"At a time like this, you're still putting on a front? Have you forgotten our bet earlier? If you failed to cure Elder Xie, you would sever your own arm. So many people heard it!" Hu Wenguang said smugly.
Xie Yongguo wore a dark expression and said, "Doctor Hu makes sense. Chen Tianyang, let me ask you: did you cure my father?"
Chen Tianyang rubbed his nose and smiled, "I haven't actually cured him just yet."
Han Muqing's face instantly turned ashen, despair appearing in her eyes.
Uncle Zhong also sighed inwardly, slowly shaking his head. Unable to hide his disappointment, he prepared to leave.
Hu Wenguang burst into loud laughter, excitedly declaring, "In that case, hurry up and sever your own arm! Do it yourself."
"Hold on." Chen Tianyang sneered, "I haven't completely cured Elder Xie right now because his illness was already deep-rooted and impossible to heal in a single attempt. However, I have already alleviated the condition; after a few more treatments, he will make a full recovery."
"What did you say?"
Everyone found it hard to believe, instantly petrified on the spot.
The old man had late-stage brain cancer; even top domestic experts were helpless, and lasting a few more years would already be a miracle. How could Chen Tianyang possibly be confident of a full recovery?
Uncle Zhong's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. He turned his head and stared at Chen Tianyang in shock.
Han Muqing was both startled and delighted as she asked, "You... are you telling the truth?"
Xie Yongguo said in a deep voice, "Chen Tianyang, this isn't something to joke about. Lying in front of me, Xie Yongguo, carries severe consequences."
Chen Tianyang rolled his eyes, stepped aside to clear the doorway, and said, "You people are truly strange. Instead of wasting breath questioning me with nonsense, why don't you go inside and take a look? Won't you know whether it's true or false then?"
As soon as those words fell, a figure flashed past and rushed straight inside—it was Uncle Zhong.
Immediately following, a voice filled with surprise and excitement rang out from the room: "Old Xie brother, you... you really woke up?"
Xie Yongguo and the others were both shocked and overjoyed, rushing inside. Sure enough, just as Chen Tianyang had said, Elder Xie was leaning against the head of the bed with a smile on his face, his complexion vastly improved.
Xie Yongguo asked in pleasant surprise, "Dad, how are you feeling?"
Xie Anxiang smiled and said, "Thanks to young friend Chen Tianyang, I've managed to snatch my life back from the jaws of death. He truly is a man of great capabilities."
Hu Wenguang's complexion instantly turned ashen. He nearly tumbled backward onto his floor, muttering, "Impossible, impossible... Late-stage brain cancer, where even surgery is out of the question—how could backward Traditional Chinese Medicine cure it? This absolutely cannot be true..."
Though Han Muqing hadn't gone inside, she heard Xie Anxiang's voice. Overwhelmed with joy, she dashed straight over and hugged Chen Tianyang, excitedly acting like a young girl: "Tianyang, I never imagined you'd be this amazing! When you stayed inside for so long without coming out, you scared me to death."
She was the one who had brought Chen Tianyang here. If he had botched Elder Xie's condition because of her, she wouldn't have been able to shirk responsibility even with the Xie family's eldest young master shielding her, so the prior pressure had been immense.
Now, seeing that Elder Xie's condition had improved dramatically and there was even hope for a full recovery—all thanks to Chen Tianyang—her stress vanished completely, replaced by a surge of excitement.
With soft fragrance and warm jade filling his arms, Chen Tianyang wore a thoroughly intoxicated expression. Unable to resist wrapping his arms around Han Muqing's slender waist, he gave her a discreet squeeze and chuckled, "Strictly speaking, Elder Xie woke up after a quarter of an hour inside. The rest of the time, the two of us were just chatting. I really didn't expect you to worry so much."
"What did you say? You cured him in a quarter of an hour?!" Han Muqing nearly fainted. So many famous doctors and experts had been utterly helpless, yet in Chen Tianyang's hands, it was this simple? Just how miraculous was his medical skill?
It seemed she had accidentally picked up a rare treasure.
Han Muqing thought excitedly.
Suddenly, Han Muqing realized she was intimately embracing Chen Tianyang. Since this was her first time being so close to a member of the opposite sex, her pretty face flushed red, and she immediately put some distance between them.
"Ahem, Chen Tianyang, my grandfather is inviting you inside." Xie Xingxuan walked over, her beautiful eyes examining Chen Tianyang with curiosity, as if trying to see right through him.
So they had been seen! Han Muqing's face burned with heat, her heart fluttering wildly.
Chen Tianyang smiled and nodded, walking inside.
Xie Anxiang's eyes brightened as he smiled, waved his hand, and said, "Young friend Chen, come sit over here."
Everyone present was instantly stirred.
Among those in the room, only Uncle Zhong was seated on the hospital bed; the rest, including Xie Yongguo, were all standing off to the side without the slightest qualification to sit.
Now, Xie Anxiang was inviting Chen Tianyang to sit right beside him—the underlying meaning of this was profound.
Many people in the room were already plotting behind the scenes, their gazes toward Chen Tianyang completely changed.
Han Muqing was even more delighted; imperceptibly, she had already placed Chen Tianyang on her side of the battle line.
To everyone's astonishment, Chen Tianyang shook his head and smiled, "Wait a moment. I have other business to attend to before that."
Everyone widened their eyes in disbelief.
Elder Xie Anxiang was a military heavyweight, wielding immense power and high authority; his word was law, and he was accustomed to having the final say.
Winning Elder Xie's favor meant one could walk sideways and do as they pleased in Guanghua City—something countless people dreamed of.
Yet Chen Tianyang dared to publicly reject the old man's face; he truly didn't know what was good for him.
More than a few people secretly shook their heads, figuring that early success inevitably bred boundless arrogance.
Originally, everyone assumed that even if Elder Xie Anxiang wasn't angry, he wouldn't be pleased. Instead, Xie Anxiang simply chuckled and said courteously, "Very well, take care of whatever business you have first. I'll wait."
Everyone gasped in unison once more.
In the entire city of Guanghua, who could possibly make Xie Anxiang wait?
In the entire city of Guanghua, who was worthy of making Xie Anxiang wait?
Chen Tianyang.
At that moment, many people etched this name deeply into their hearts.
Among them, Hu Wenguang was suffering the most.
This unknown kid Chen Tianyang had actually cured late-stage brain cancer, and he had done it using the very Traditional Chinese Medicine Hu Wenguang held in absolute contempt.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he never would have believed it—no, even now, his heart stubbornly refused to accept it.
Rolling his eyes, he wanted to slip away quietly while everyone was distracted, lest he have to apologize publicly and lose all face.
"Doctor Hu, great expert Hu—what's this? Lost the bet and now you want to run?"
Suddenly, Chen Tianyang walked up to Hu Wenguang with a smile.
Cold sweat immediately broke out on Hu Wenguang's forehead. He forced a laugh and said, "How could that be? I just needed to use the restroom."
"No rush for the restroom. Shouldn't you fulfill our wager right now?" Chen Tianyang asked, casting a sidelong glance at him.
Many people cast playful looks toward Hu Wenguang.
Especially Han Muqing; because Hu Wenguang had been hurling sarcastic remarks earlier, she had loathed him for a long time. Seeing him cornered now brought her immense satisfaction, and even the corners of her eyes were smiling.
Hu Wenguang's face turned ugly, and he said with difficulty, "Little brother, regardless, I am a well-known expert. Asking me to apologize publicly... isn't this... isn't this a bit too much of a forced imposition?"
"Ha! What a joke!" Chen Tianyang sneered. "Didn't you demand that I sever my own arm earlier? Wasn't that a forced imposition? A bet is a bet; admit defeat and apologize publicly, acknowledge that Western medicine is inferior to Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you don't even have this much grace, what kind of bullshit expert are you?"
Hu Wenguang looked toward Xie Yongguo for help, but to his dismay, Xie Yongguo acted as though he didn't see him and immediately turned his head away.
Hu Wenguang's expression shifted; he realized the Xie Family had abandoned him.
Yet as a renowned domestic neurologist, making him apologize in front of so many people was worse than killing him. If word of this got out, how could he ever show his face in the medical community again?
Hu Wenguang stood frozen in place, hesitating endlessly, simply unable to force the words out.
Chen Tianyang's expression gradually grew cold. Standing simply before Hu Wenguang, his gaze was haughty and condescending as he spoke.
"For thousands of years, Traditional Chinese Medicine has been profound and vast, producing generation after generation of renowned physicians who have treated millions of common folk. It has merely hit a temporary low tide—how can you call it an outdated medical science? Now that the terminal illness you couldn't cure has been healed by me, what do you have to say for yourself?
"You cannot speak of ice to summer insects, nor of the sea to well-frogs. In my eyes, within the world of medicine, your vision is narrow yet your arrogance boundless; you are even worse than summer insects and well-frogs. As a fellow doctor, I am truly ashamed to be counted among your peers.
"Ancient wisdom says: if your learning does not span past and present, if your understanding does not connect heaven and man, if your talent does not approach the immortals, and your heart does not approach the Buddhas, you should simply farm fields and weave cloth for food and clothing—you must never practice medicine to delude the world.
"Given your level of insight and ability, I advise you to go home and farm the land, lest your quackery harm innocent lives!"
Chen Tianyang flicked his sleeve and turned away, too lazy to spare Hu Wenguang another glance.
These words rang with power and extraordinary momentum. Hu Wenguang's face cycled between green and white, completely unable to muster a retort.
The crowd instantly wore strange expressions.
As an expert, though Hu Wenguang had failed to cure Elder Xie's terminal illness, his domestic reputation and skill were unquestionable. Yet such a senior specialist had been scolded into complete speechlessness by Chen Tianyang.
Had they not witnessed it with their own eyes, it would have been hard to believe.
Elder Xie Anxiang nodded inwardly; this young man possessed divine medical skills and lofty insights, and his future achievements would undoubtedly be limitless.
He couldn't help but elevate his evaluation of Chen Tianyang even further, cementing his resolve to befriend him.
Han Muqing felt even more thrilled. The more brilliant Chen Tianyang's performance, the better it proved her judgment, and she shared in the glory.
Xie Xingxuan was filled with curiosity toward Chen Tianyang. She couldn't understand how Chen Tianyang, who looked at most twenty years old, could possess such brilliant medical skills.
In the end, she could only explain it away by assuming Chen Tianyang was a once-in-a-century medical genius.
Hu Wenguang's complexion shifted constantly. Finally, letting out a sigh, he scurried away in disgrace, fleeing like a stray dog.
Chen Tianyang didn't stop him. Afterward, he walked over to Xie Zirui, stared at him coldly, and asked, "Are you convinced now?"
Xie Zirui's face changed and he instinctively retreated two steps, stammering, "What... what do you want?"
Chen Tianyang glanced at him, then shook his head and said, "For an idiot, there is no medicine." With that, he walked over to Xie Anxiang and took a seat beside him.
Xie Zirui's face flushed red and white, but he couldn't offer any rebuttal because Chen Tianyang had already proven with facts that the true moron was none other than himself.
Xie Anxiang praised, "The words young friend Chen spoke just moments ago were truly thought-provoking. To tell you the truth, even I held biases against Traditional Chinese Medicine. If not for your profound medical skill and your cure of my terminal illness, I probably would have continued misunderstanding TCM forever. I am deeply ashamed."
Chen Tianyang shook his head and said, "Every trade has its masters. Your level wasn't high enough, so failing to see it was completely normal."
Everyone broke out in a collective sweat. This kid really spoke his mind without a single polite pleasantry.
Xie Anxiang chuckled dryly and said, "Young friend Chen speaks the truth. By the way, regarding the terminal illness in my body, just what percentage of certainty does young friend Chen have that it can be completely cured?"