Tang Long found it hard to believe. However, seeing Tang Wei frantically signaling him with his eyes, and recalling Tang Wei’s recent abnormal behavior, Tang Long took a deep breath. Suppressing his doubts, he bowed slightly and, following Tang Wei’s lead, asked Lin Hao to treat Tang Shengshi.
Seeing both their eldest and third brothers bow, Tang Hu, the second of the Tang brothers, hesitated for a moment before also bowing to plead with Lin Hao.
The simultaneous gathering of the three Tang brothers in such a small neighborhood had long since caught the attention of the media in Jiangbei City. Seeing them all acting so bizarrely, pleading with a young man, the reporters who had been staking out the area were suddenly electrified. This was a huge scoop; today had been worth the wait.
Hiding in a corner, Wang Xuewen, who had witnessed the scene in the plaza, opened her already large eyes even wider. Her expression of disbelief was tinged with confusion. She was too far away to hear what Tang Wei and the others were saying to Lin Hao, but seeing Tang Wei kneeling before him, and the man beside him—who bore a striking resemblance to Tang Wei—acting with extreme reverence, she felt a sudden wave of dizziness. Her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
"Is a crown prince traveling incognito?"
"A wealthy heir experiencing rural life?"
"Damn it! Oh my god, oh my god..."
"I’ve been sharing an apartment with an heir for over half a year, and right in front of him, I’ve been out looking for other heirs?"
Wang Xuewen roared inwardly, panting in anger at herself, her chest heaving with agitation. After slapping herself hard, she finally regained her composure. She stared fixedly at the infuriatingly handsome young man not far away. Moments later, her eyes narrowed, a flash of light appeared in her gaze, and a beautiful curve tugged at her cherry lips.
She seemed to have made a decision; Wang Xuewen smiled, her eyes filled with newfound determination and confidence. As she looked back at the handsome man in the plaza, a hint of resentment and grievance lingered deep in her eyes. After a moment, she took a deep breath and walked toward the parking lot with a graceful, swaying gait.
In the plaza, the three brothers—Tang Long, Tang Hu, and Tang Wei—had lowered their posture as much as possible, yet Lin Hao remained unmoved.
Tang Hu said, "Miracle Doctor Lin, as long as you are willing to save my father, you will be the benefactor of the Tang Family. From now on, the Tang Family will follow your every order. If you tell us to go east, we would never dare to go west..."
At these words, Tang Long and Tang Wei’s expressions changed drastically. They stared at Tang Hu; he was practically handing the Tang Family over to a master. If Lin Hao told them to die, would they have to obey? Tang Hu quickly shot them a look, and only then did they realize that the top priority was saving Elder Tang. As for the future, who could say for sure?
Lin Hao’s spiritual sense was sharp; the brothers' little tricks could not escape him. He found their performance amusing. If it were the Lin Hao of the past, he might have been moved by such rhetoric. But he knew Tang Hu’s true intentions: once Elder Tang was cured, he would be discarded. Lin Hao did not believe that a top-tier powerhouse like the Tang Family had never crossed the bridge and burned it before.
"Haven't you understood me yet? I’m busy today. Besides, your Tang Family is a bit too high-reaching for me," Lin Hao said bluntly. "Move aside. Isn't it hot in this sun? I have a fan at home waiting for me to fix it."
No sooner had Lin Hao finished speaking than Tang Long exploded in anger. "Boy, since you refuse a toast, you'll be forced to drink a forfeit! Today, you’re coming with us whether you like it or not!" He signaled the arriving bodyguards and added, "Bring this arrogant brat back to the Tang Family!" He enunciated the word "bring" with heavy emphasis.
The bodyguards immediately understood. With the sound of rhythmic footsteps, they closed in and surrounded Lin Hao.
Lin Hao was unfazed. Instead of getting angry, he chuckled. "Is this the true face of you wealthy families? If the soft approach doesn't work, you turn to force. I’ve certainly learned something today."
Tang Long glared at him. "Scared? If you’re scared, follow me quietly. Save my father, and everything can be discussed." As the eldest son of Tang Shengshi, Tang Long had been accustomed to acting with impunity since childhood, and after reaching a high position in the military, he was a man of decisive and iron-fisted action. Had Lin Hao come from a medical dynasty like the Ye Family in the capital, or been a renowned expert, Tang Long might have been cautious. But the Tang Family had long since thoroughly investigated Lin Hao’s background. Seeing Lin Hao repeatedly snub them, Tang Long had lost his patience.
"Scared?" Lin Hao sneered. He calmly set aside the herbs and the pressure cooker he was holding, then rolled up his sleeves.
Seeing this, cold sweat broke out on Tang Wei’s forehead. He had already experienced Lin Hao’s combat prowess at the Tang residence. Seeing his eldest brother try to use force, Tang Wei jumped up, stopped the bodyguards, and grabbed Tang Long. "Eldest brother, you can't! If you anger Miracle Doctor Lin, Father is truly hopeless! Besides, these men are no match for him!"
Tang Long laughed. "Third brother, you’ve grown soft over the years. You’ve been corrupted by the comforts of the business world."
Seeing his brother wouldn't listen, Tang Wei was so frustrated he could have vomited blood. Suddenly, a bright idea struck him, and he frantically pulled out his phone to send a text to Song Ciming.
Tang Long shouted at the bodyguards, "What are you waiting for?"
As soon as he spoke, twenty or so black-clad bodyguards swarmed toward Lin Hao.
Facing the rushing guards, Lin Hao felt no fear. Relying on the residual power of the mysterious tattoo from the previous night, he was already an Eighth Layer of Body Tempering Stage practitioner. He suddenly remembered a line from his childhood: "What is happiness? Happiness is a cat eating fish, a dog eating meat, and Ultraman fighting little monsters!"
As the guards reached him, Lin Hao knocked them down one by one like children playing with toys. Although he had never studied formal martial arts, with his Eighth Layer strength, he dispatched them in a matter of seconds. The bodyguards lay on the ground, wailing in pain.
Tang Long and Tang Hu were stunned, staring in disbelief at the calm, handsome young man. Tang Wei was paralyzed; he had expected Lin Hao to be formidable, but not to this outrageous degree. Was this even human?
When the brothers recovered and exchanged a glance, they simultaneously knelt before Lin Hao, their bodies trembling, cold sweat soaking their backs. They finally understood why Tang Wei had acted so strangely upon meeting Lin Hao. Lin Hao had wiped out twenty bodyguards in the blink of an eye. It reminded them of a specific group of people existing in this world: the Ancient Martial Artists, who stood above ordinary people.
Ancient Martial Artists were one in ten thousand, treated as national treasures by the high-level authorities. Even the lowest-ranking Ancient Martial Artist possessed power comparable to a wild beast. Tang Long no longer dared to speak, nor did he dare to expect the man to treat his father. Offending an Ancient Martial Artist was a fate they were lucky to survive. History was littered with the remains of noble families who had offended such people.
Seeing his brothers kneel, Tang Wei hurried to join them. Unlike them, he pleaded desperately with Lin Hao while waiting for Song Ciming to arrive.
Finally, after the screeching roar of a car engine ceased, the figure that stepped out of the vehicle made Tang Wei let out a sigh of relief.
Song Ciming noticed the three brothers kneeling the moment he stepped out. He was startled for a moment before rushing to Lin Hao. "Young friend Lin, Old Tang’s breath is growing weaker. He’s only alive because I used potent medicine to keep him hanging on. Only you have the power to give him a chance at life! I know these three fools have offended you, and I shouldn't be troubling you again, but saving a life is like fighting a fire. I can’t care about my dignity anymore. I’m begging you—I’ll kneel to you!"
Song Ciming was so anxious he was nearly in tears. Seeing an old man like him willing to kneel to keep his friend alive, Lin Hao couldn't let him do it and hurriedly pulled him up. He found himself envious of the Tang Shengshi lying in that hospital bed. To live a life with a friend as genuine as Song Ciming was enough!
Sighing deeply, Lin Hao said, "Elder Song, you are shaming me! What virtue does Tang Shengshi have to deserve a friend like you? Very well, since you’ve gone this far, if I still refuse, would I even be human?"
Hearing this, Song Ciming shed tears of joy. Seeing the three Tang brothers still stunned, the usually composed Elder Song couldn't help but curse at them. Tang Wei reacted immediately, carefully ushering Lin Hao and Song Ciming into the car. He then drove frantically toward their private hospital.
...
The news that the three Tang brothers and a renowned TCM expert had all knelt before a young man exploded across Jiangbei City. What kind of family was the Tang Family? Their patriarch, Tang Shengshi, was a man who had once shielded a national leader from bullets. Supported by the leader, the Tang Family held immense influence in Jiangbei. As the story fermented, the Tang Family became the focus of the city’s upper echelons, and Lin Hao was thrust into the spotlight.
Lin Hao was ushered into a limited-edition Ferrari by Tang Wei. Once he confirmed everyone was buckled in, Tang Wei slammed on the accelerator, unable to contain his anxiety. The Ferrari roared like a beast and sped toward the Tang residence like a sharp sword. Tang Long and Tang Hu followed closely behind.
Within two minutes, Lin Hao saw the extent of the Tang Family’s power; police had cordoned off intersections to clear a path for their convoy. The distance from his rental to the Tang residence was about 25 kilometers, and they arrived in just five or six minutes.
When they arrived at the private hospital, the atmosphere on the floor was eerily quiet. Tang Wei’s expression changed, and he rushed toward the operating room. Everyone else followed.
"Mr. Tang, you’re too late. Start preparing for the funeral," Ye Chen said, shaking his head with a sigh as he saw them rush in.
"Funeral, my ass! Didn't you say you were a neurosurgery expert? Even if you couldn't save my father, why couldn't you keep him alive for a few more minutes? We just brought back a miracle doctor, and you’re telling me this? What kind of expert are you? What use are you to me?" Seeing the monitors flatlining, Tang Wei grabbed Ye Chen by the collar and roared.
Ye Chen shivered under Tang Wei’s murderous gaze but forced himself to continue. "Mr. Tang, I am an expert, but not every illness is curable! The Old Master is too old, and the illness dragged on too long. His organs are failing. Even Jesus couldn't save him. My condolences!"
Tang Long and Tang Hu collapsed to the floor, their legs giving way. Tang Wei felt his strength abandon him and retreated several steps. The three brothers stood up with great difficulty and knelt before the bed, weeping bitterly. Tang Xueyan, the eldest daughter, who had previously fainted from grief, was wheeled in by a nurse and joined the weeping.
Song Ciming arrived and could only offer a bitter smile, wiping away tears as he looked at the brothers with complex emotions.
Suddenly, someone spoke up: "So this is what you call a Western medical expert? You studied abroad for so many years just to learn how to tell a family to prepare for a funeral?"
It was Lin Hao. Ye Chen had dismissed TCM as worthless the moment he arrived. If it hadn't been for Tang Xueyan diverting the situation earlier, Lin Hao would have already slapped him. Now, he wouldn't let it go.
"You again? Boy, watch your tongue!" Ye Chen was surprised to see Lin Hao back, but indignant at being scolded, he snapped, "What do you know? A doctor isn't a god. To tell you the truth, nobody can cure this!"
Lin Hao sneered, "Nobody? Who gave you the courage to say that? Do you represent every doctor in the world?"
Ye Chen shouted, "Who gave me the courage? Ha! I was already researching neurosurgery when you were still in diapers. I am the authority on neurosurgery in this country!" He paused, looking at Lin Hao mockingly. "By your tone, it sounds like you can save him!"
Lin Hao replied, "Take out the 'sounds like'!"
Ye Chen laughed hysterically. "You TCM people are so funny. The Old Master’s heart and lungs have stopped, and he is brain-dead. If you can save him, I’ll take your surname and offer you my million-dollar savings!"
Lin Hao’s face darkened. "I don't need a son as old as you! Tell you what: if I save him, you hold a press conference at your hospital and apologize to all of TCM in Huaxia! If I fail, I’ll give you a million."
Ye Chen laughed loudly. "If you’re so eager to give me money, I suppose I shouldn't refuse. But can you even come up with a million?"
Before Lin Hao could speak, Song Ciming stepped forward. "I’ll cover this million for young friend Lin!" He was tired of Ye Chen’s arrogance and wanted to see TCM redeemed. He handed a bank card to Tang Wei, the designated notary.
After Ye Chen handed over his card, Lin Hao said to him, "Watch closely. What Western medicine can cure, TCM can also cure. What Western medicine cannot, we can still cure!"
The brothers turned their hopeful gaze to Lin Hao. Tang Wei asked nervously, "Miracle Doctor Lin, is there really a chance?"
Lin Hao ignored him and walked to the bed, taking out his silver needles. He began to pierce the acupuncture points on Tang Shengshi’s body, his spiritual sense scanning the patient’s interior. As he had perceived before, this was the work of an evil force. Up close, he saw a foul, decaying entity devouring the Old Master’s vitality and soul.
Lin Hao channeled his spiritual energy, forming an invisible hand to grab the entity. The energy from the Hongmeng Sutra seemed to have a natural inhibiting effect on the evil spirit. It trembled in fear, unable to move. Suddenly, the spiritual hand erupted in flames, and the entity screamed in agony as it was reduced to ash in an instant. Lin Hao gently flicked his hand, and the vitality and soul fragments the spirit had consumed returned to their original places.
With the largest obstacle cleared, Lin Hao integrated a sliver of spiritual energy into his needles and struck the acupuncture points—Taiyang, Yintang, Tongtian, Baihui, Feishu, Guanyuan, and others.
He performed the "Thirteen Ghost Gates" acupuncture technique with absolute concentration. Every needle consumed a portion of his spiritual energy and spiritual sense.
"The Thirteen Ghost Gates! It really is the Thirteen Ghost Gates! Old Tang is saved!" Song Ciming nearly jumped. He had read about it in family records; though he couldn't perform it, he recognized the legendary technique. Earlier, he had been worried, but now his heart was at ease.