Boom!
This was evidently news of a magnitude-twelve earthquake, drawing gasps of shock from the guests present.
"How could such an emergency happen? If anything happens to Elder Jiang, the whole of Pingjiang City will likely be turned upside down!"
Gasps rose and fell in a continuous stream. Among the crowd, Xiao Yuyan wore a worried expression. "Could something happen to Elder Jiang?"
Li Xue also knitted her brows tightly. At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Let me try!"
Shen Qing's words instantly caught everyone's attention, and the crowd turned to look at him.
The crowd automatically parted a path, and Shen Qing stepped forward.
Seeing this, Yang Ping scoffed derisively, "Shen Qing, what are you coming out for? There's no place for you to meddle on an occasion like this!"
"Even I am helpless against Elder Jiang's condition. What kind of nobody do you think you are to try?"
Faced with the taunts, Shen Qing remained calm and composed. "I can save Elder Jiang!"
"Hahaha!"
Yang Ping burst out laughing instantly, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Shen Qing, you've really gone mad!"
"If your meddling makes Elder Jiang's condition worse, can you bear the responsibility?"
His words won the agreement of quite a few guests, but Li Xue spoke up from the crowd, "I will vouch for Shen Qing!"
"I vouch for Shen Qing as well," Xiao Yuyan stepped forward too.
What?
An uproar broke out at the scene, and Yang Ping was even more astonished. "Xiaoxue, have you lost your mind?"
"What does a country bumpkin like Shen Qing know about medicine? What if something goes wrong?"
Li Xue said, "I trust Shen Qing. If anything goes wrong, I will bear sole responsibility!"
Many people couldn't help drawing in cold breaths, casting shocked gazes at the two women.
"Fine, then I'll let Shen Qing cure him!"
"If anything happens to Elder Jiang, he won't be walking out of this banquet venue alive!" Yang Ping sneered derisively.
His gaze was filled with mockery.
A mere country bumpkin from the mountains actually wanted to revive Elder Jiang—it was enough to make his teeth fall out from laughter.
"Then you just watch carefully!" Shen Qing's expression was confident as he walked straight up to Jiang Wenmao.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
Right in front of the crowd, Shen Qing took out a palm-sized box and drew out a series of silver needles from inside.
"Shen Qing, you aren't planning on doing acupuncture, are you?" Yang Ping laughed loudly.
Shen Qing glanced at him sideways. "Can you shut your mouth!"
"Shen Qing, you simply can't save Elder Jiang. Stop putting on an act here."
"If a bumpkin like you can save Elder Jiang, I'll slap my own face ten times on the spot," Yang Ping taunted, his tone brimming with confidence.
Hearing this, a playful expression emerged on Shen Qing's face. "Good, remember your words!"
As his voice fell, Shen Qing made his move immediately.
He laid Jiang Wenmao flat on the floor and then took off his upper garment.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Silvery needles shot out from his hand like arrows leaving a string, hitting every single acupuncture point on Jiang Wenmao's body with precision.
This display of flying needles surprised many people.
"What a masterclass in flying needle technique!" someone praised.
Yang Ping sneered dismissively, "What flashy tricks! Saving people isn't a street performance!"
Shen Qing ignored Yang Ping. He was concentrating fully on treating Jiang Wenmao. Within just a few breaths, dozens of silver needles covered Jiang Wenmao's chest.
He stretched out both hands, plucking at the tails of the silver needles as if playing a piano. The silver needles began to tremble slightly beneath his hands, and faint wisps of mist drifted out, gradually seeping into Jiang Wenmao's body.
This miraculous sight stunned everyone present.
"What technique is this?"
"What is that mist? I've never seen anyone save a person like this," someone couldn't help saying.
Yang Ping laughed loudly. "Shen Qing, are you playing some kind of circus act? You think you can revive Elder Jiang with that? I think you've completely lost your mind."
The treatment continued. The mist grew denser and was even inhaled by Jiang Wenmao through his mouth and nose.
A shocking sight then appeared: after inhaling these mists, the painful expression originally on Jiang Wenmao's face dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Ugh!"
A moment later, accompanied by a groan, Jiang Wenmao actually slowly opened his eyes.
"I... what happened to me?" Jiang Wenmao's eyes were hazy.
"He's awake!"
"Elder Jiang is really awake!"
The entire banquet venue erupted in excitement, and everyone was shaken beyond measure.
"Impossible!"
Yang Ping lost control of his expression. He couldn't believe that Shen Qing had actually revived Jiang Wenmao.
"That's wonderful!" Li Xue cheered happily, and a smile blossomed on Xiao Yuyan's face as well.
Shen Qing was still administering the needles for treatment. "Elder Jiang, don't move. Your treatment isn't finished yet!"
Jiang Wenmao's consciousness was slowly clearing up by now, and a servant at his side hurriedly came over to tell him what had just happened.
Jiang Wenmao felt a lingering fear in his heart, not expecting that he had just taken a trip to the gates of hell.
"Young man, what is your name?" Jiang Wenmao looked at Shen Qing in astonishment, his gaze full of admiration.
"Shen Qing!"
"This old life of mine almost didn't make it. Thank you, young friend Shen, for stepping in to help. This old man owes you his life!" Jiang Wenmao said.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's gaze toward Shen Qing changed completely. Yang Ping's eyes were practically spitting fire, filled to the brim with jealousy.
What kind of person was Jiang Wenmao? Even the mayor of Pingjiang City was his student. To earn such a massive favor from Jiang Wenmao—the benefits of this were enough to drive many people crazy.
At this point, Shen Qing began to withdraw the silver needles. He smiled and said, "Alright, the treatment is finished!"
"Elder Jiang, your body is still somewhat weak. Later on, I will treat you a few more times to ensure you live to a ripe old age!"
Assisted by a servant, Jiang Wenmao rose from the floor. As he felt the condition of his body, he was incomparably amazed.
"Superb medical skills!"
"To think that young friend Shen possesses such outstanding medical skills at such a young age—truly, the younger generation is formidable!" Jiang Wenmao couldn't stop praising him.
He took out a business card. "Tomorrow, please come to my estate for a visit, young friend Shen. Then I will thank you properly."
"Everyone, Elder Jiang's body needs rest, so today's charity banquet will end here." A servant nearby announced the news.
With that, Jiang Wenmao was escorted away.
The guests at the banquet had yet to recover from the shock. Everyone looked at Shen Qing in a completely different light.
Jealousy, envy, surprise, shock!
Yang Ping's face turned ashen to the extreme. He gritted his teeth, unwilling to accept that Shen Qing had stolen the spotlight to such an extent.
He turned around and prepared to leave, but was called back.
"Wait!"
"Yang Ping, do you just want to leave like this? I saved Elder Jiang, so shouldn't you slap your own face ten times?" Shen Qing called out to him, his expression mocking as he looked at Yang Ping.
Yang Ping's expression stiffened, and he defended himself, "I was just joking earlier."
"I don't think so. Either you do it yourself, or I'll help you!" Shen Qing said without a trace of politeness.
Yang Ping's face flushed crimson. "Shen Qing, don't push people too far!"
"Too much nonsense. Then let me help you!"
Shen Qing scoffed. The moment he finished speaking, he dashed forward in a single bound right in front of Yang Ping.
"Shen Qing, you dare..." Yang Ping cried out in alarm and fury.