After receiving the two million in compensation from Brother Bao, Ling Xiao thought to himself that this money would serve as the perfect emergency fund for his path of cultivation. He decided to head to the bank to deposit it in case of any unforeseen needs in the future.
Having finished the deposit, Ling Xiao walked out of the bank. The sunlight washed over him, making him look exceptionally spirited. Just as he was about to head back, he suddenly heard a set of anxious cries coming from not far ahead. Subconsciously, Ling Xiao quickened his pace and walked over. A large crowd had gathered, and as he pushed his way through, he laid eyes on a distressing scene.
Right in the middle of the street lay an elderly gentleman. His face was as pale as paper, his forehead was covered in beads of sweat the size of soybeans, and his lips were completely devoid of color. He looked severely ill. The surrounding onlookers were engaged in heated discussion, all wearing expressions of anxious concern.
At that moment, a man who looked like a doctor hurried over. He quickly knelt down to perform a brief examination on the old man. As soon as he finished, his expression grew even more solemn. He slowly stood up, shook his head helplessly, and said, "I've checked him. The old man's condition is extremely critical. I don't have enough medical equipment here, so I truly cannot provide effective treatment. Someone hurry up and call 120 for an ambulance to take him to the hospital—though looking at the traffic conditions along the way, I'm afraid it might already be too late."
The old man's granddaughter had long since been reduced to a weeping mess. Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone to dial 120, her eyes fixed firmly on her lifeless grandfather lying on the ground as she prayed continuously for an ambulance to arrive quickly.
Watching this scene unfold, a surge of impulse rose within Ling Xiao's chest. Frowning slightly, he quickly recalled the miraculous medical knowledge recorded in the Longyuan Secret Classic. A moment later, he raised his head, looked at the crowd, and said with confidence, "I can save him!"
As soon as these words left his mouth, a chorus of jeers and disdainful murmurs erupted from the surrounding crowd. The doctor curled his lip and said contemptuously, "Just based on you, a young man? I think you'd better stop making trouble here. Step aside quickly and don't delay the rescue time."
Some of the other passersby chimed in. "Exactly! Traditional Chinese medicine? So many young people nowadays use TCM as a cover to scam people. I bet he's just a fraud."
"Right, since when can someone this young treat this kind of illness with TCM? He's probably just putting on a show," a middle-aged man echoed.
Unfazed by the mockery, Ling Xiao walked steadily toward the old man. He drew a set of silver needles from his breast pocket, which glinted with an eerie light in the sunlight. This action only provoked even more intense laughter and scorn from the onlookers.
"Another TCM practitioner. He's probably just playing tricks with those silver needles," someone muttered under their breath.
"Hmph, and here I thought he had some real skills. Turns out he's just pulling the same old stunt," the doctor said with a look of utter disdain.
Unmoved, Ling Xiao slowly knelt down and focused his attention on the old man's condition. The air around them seemed to freeze; everyone's gaze was focused squarely on him and the old man, while the mocking voices continued to ring in his ears.
Ling Xiao took a deep breath and began to channel his inner qi to guide the needles. His fingers gently pinched the silver needles as an intangible force surged from his body, transferring through his hands onto the metallic shafts. Those silver needles seemed to instantly acquire a life of their own, plunging with pinpoint precision into the old man's acupuncture points under his control.
Watching Ling Xiao skillfully drive the silver needles one by one into the crucial pressure points across the old man's body, no one dared to laugh anymore. After all, that level of mastery over qi-guided acupuncture was not something just anyone could pull off.
Immediately following this, Ling Xiao executed the unique Heaven-Defying Needle Technique. The air around the silver needles began to warp, faintly shimmering with a bizarre light as if a mystical force were flowing between them. With the injection of this energy, the old man's complexion underwent a subtle change—the deathly paleness gradually regained a trace of color.
This sudden turn of events shocked everyone present. Those who had been looking down on Ling Xiao just moments before now stared wide-eyed, watching in utter disbelief.
The doctor's jaw dropped in astonishment. He hurriedly stepped forward and carefully checked the old man's pulse. The moment his fingers brushed against the old man's wrist, his eyes widened in shock, and he repeated over and over, "This... this is incredible! His pulse has actually stabilized. How is this even possible?"
As time passed, the old man's condition continued to improve. His breathing gradually steadied, and his previously feeble body began to regain strength. Ultimately, thanks to Ling Xiao's exquisite medical skills, the old man's condition was brought completely under control. He slowly opened his eyes, looked at the anxious crowd surrounding him, and then cast his gaze upon Ling Xiao, his eyes brimming with gratitude.
The old man's granddaughter tearfully threw herself over her grandfather, then turned to Ling Xiao, bowing repeatedly as she expressed her thanks. "Thank you, big brother! You saved my grandfather's life. Our entire family will be grateful to you for the rest of our lives!"
Ling Xiao hurriedly helped her up and smiled. "Don't mention it. When you see someone in trouble, you ought to help."
By this time, the granddaughter was supporting the old man—who had just recovered a bit of vitality—as he slowly sat up. It was then that Ling Xiao learned the old man's name was Su Zhengxiong.
Supported by his granddaughter, Su Zhengxiong sat up slowly. Looking at Ling Xiao, he said with deep emotion, "Young friend, your medical skills are truly transcendent. In all my years, I have never witnessed such miraculous medicine. Today you saved this old man's life, and I have no way to properly repay you. Rest assured, whatever you may need, the entire Jiangcheng Group will support you unconditionally. Please do not decline this."
Ling Xiao waved his hands hastily and replied, "You flatter me, Elder. I merely did what was within my power and asked for no reward."
However, the old man's attitude remained resolute. He continued, "Young friend, do not refuse. With your medical prowess, you are bound to shake the medical world in the future. This is merely a token of my gratitude today, so please accept it."
Seeing how sincere the old man was, Ling Xiao had no choice but to agree.
By now, the onlookers were completely dumbfounded. The Jiangcheng Group was one of the elite tycoons of Jiangnan City! Who would have thought that this young man casually saving someone would turn out to be rescuing the patriarch of a prestigious family? This young man was about to hit the big time.
Afterward, the old man instructed his subordinates to escort Ling Xiao back and accompany the ambulance to the nearest hospital for a comprehensive checkup to prevent any lingering health hazards. At the same time, he personally penned a letter of gratitude to Ling Xiao, stating that the Jiangcheng Group would always welcome him whenever he needed assistance, promising that the corporation would lend its full strength to whatever he required.
Seeing this, the crowd gave Ling Xiao a collective thumbs-up. Those who had mocked him moments earlier now wore faces of deep shame, wishing they could crawl into a crack in the ground.
As for Ling Xiao, he maintained his usual low profile and humility. He knew that a long road still lay ahead of him; cultivation and saving lives were his twin missions, and even more challenges awaited him. With the backing of the Jiangcheng Group, his life would become much more stable, allowing him to dedicate himself entirely to cultivation and medical research, eagerly anticipating the display of even more astonishing power in the future.