Medical Sage

”Mr. Chen, do you have any basis for saying the Chief’s time is almost up? According to ancient medical records, if a person is on the verge of death, it must manifest physically. Signs should surface, but the Chief currently shows no such abnormalities...” Elder Xunn was clearly skeptical.

After all, with his medical expertise, he could accurately determine if someone was nearing their end or simply experiencing a final resurgence of vitality. Yet, he saw no signs of trouble in the old man. For Chen Fei to claim the Chief’s time was almost up… With such a conflicting diagnosis, how could he not have doubts?

Given the Old Chief’s identity, there was absolutely no room for error or levity.

”Elder Xunn, why don’t you take the old gentleman’s pulse now?” Chen Fei suggested, casually retrieving the Silver Needle he carried and gently inserting it into the old man’s legs.

Upon hearing this, Elder Xunn was clearly stunned for a moment, but he quickly reached out to take the old gentleman’s pulse. The next moment, however, his expression changed dramatically, as if he had witnessed the impossible. He murmured in shock, ”How can this be? How is this possible... This is...”

”Old Xun, Old Xun!”

Seeing this, both Xuu Ji and the old gentleman felt their hearts drop. The latter couldn’t help but shout.

”Ah, Chief, I...” Hearing the old gentleman’s sharp tone, Elder Xunn finally came to his senses. His fingers, still hovering over the old man’s wrist, trembled faintly. It was clear he could barely contain the storm raging in his heart.

”Enough, Old Xun. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the laws of nature. Besides, you know that these old bones of mine have only lasted this long by sheer luck. My life is a bonus, so why be greedy for more?” Seeing this, the old gentleman understood everything. His murky eyes flickered for just a moment before he broke into a faint, accepting smile.

”Grandfather!” Hearing this, Xuu Ji’s face went visibly pale, his expression distraught.

Whether it was due to love or logic, from any angle, he could not bear the thought of his grandfather passing away. But now... could it be true? Is his time really up?

”Old Chief...”

Elder Xunn sighed and turned his gaze back to Chen Fei, his voice full of sincere admiration. ”Mr. Chen, how could this be?” At that moment, he was truly convinced. He had never expected such profound medical skill from a young man like Chen Fei. It left even him, Xunn Lun, breathless with awe!

”It’s actually quite simple. It’s because of the poison in the old gentleman’s body,” Chen Fei explained. ”Normally, given the old gentleman’s constitution and the negligible amount of poison, it would be harmless. However, because his natural lifespan is ending, it triggered a minor, unusual reaction with the poison. This created a masking effect, which is likely why you didn’t detect it, Elder Xunn.”

”So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is... Mr. Chen, your medical expertise is exceptional. I, Xunn Lun, am thoroughly convinced,” Elder Xunn said after a long silence, his words filled with heartfelt admiration.

”Then, Mr. Chen... my grandfather... he really has no hope left!?” At that moment, Xuu Ji couldn’t stop himself from rushing forward and grabbing Chen Fei’s arm, his voice trembling.

”Insolent! Little Ji, what are you doing? Stand down!” the old gentleman chided, his face stern.

This was, after all, the end of a natural lifespan, not some illness or poison. Even if Chen Fei’s skills were monstrously, heaven-defyingly profound, he surely couldn’t wrestle more years of life from fate itself. In his view, his grandson’s outburst was out of line. The boy needed to calm down.

”It’s not entirely hopeless,” Chen Fei said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. ”If we could find a few specific things, there might still be a chance.”

”What? Are you absolutely sure?” Elder Xunn was taken aback.

Even the old gentleman, who had been steeling himself to face his destiny, found his breath quickening at Chen Fei’s words. He murmured in disbelief, ”Young man, do you truly have a way? You understand this is the end of a natural life we’re talking about. It’s no joking matter.”

The end of one’s natural life meant that Heaven itself was coming to collect your soul. For Chen Fei to claim he had a solution even to this... could he really snatch a life back from Heaven? How is that possible!? It’s simply too absurd, too unbelievable!

”Elder, if I may be so bold, how old are you?” Chen Fei asked with a faint smile, his question rather abrupt.

”Me? My age?”

The old gentleman paused before responding truthfully, ”This year, I believe I’m over one hundred and ten.”

”GASP! What?” Hearing this, Xuu Ji gasped in shock, his face a mask of horror. He stared at his grandfather again, his eyes filled with amazement and disbelief. This was clearly the first time he had learned his grandfather’s true age.

He had always known his grandfather was old, but he never imagined it was to this degree. Over one hundred and ten years old? What did that mean? It was simply beyond belief!

”That explains it.”

Chen Fei, however, clapped his hands as if it were the most natural thing in the world. ”The reason Dr. Xunn has lived to this age is because his cultivation realm is high enough! He has the qualifications to vie with Heaven for his life. As for you, sir, if I’m not mistaken, you must have consumed some kind of Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure in your youth that extended your lifespan!”

”Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that can extend one’s lifespan?” Xuu Ji was completely dumbfounded, his mind a total blank. It wasn’t that he was unfamiliar with the terms Chen Fei used. Rather, weren’t such things supposed to exist only in novels and myths? But now...

”You could tell?”

The old gentleman, however, gave Chen Fei a deep look before speaking slowly. ”I recall, decades ago, Old Xun and I happened to save a very strange man. As thanks, he gave me a peculiar fruit and had me eat it on the spot, claiming it would extend my life by twenty years. We thought he was joking at the time and paid it no mind, but now...”

He suddenly found himself unable to continue. Yes, he was an ordinary man. At his peak, his strength had only reached the Peak Realm of the King of Soldiers. Living past ninety should have been his absolute limit.

But over one hundred and ten... he had never dared to even imagine such a thing. Yet here he was, having truly lived to be over one hundred and ten years old!

”’Deep in the mountains lie tigers and leopards; out in the fields hide Qilins.’ That senior was truly magnanimous to part with such a treasure,” Chen Fei couldn’t help but exclaim.

To put it in perspective, a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure capable of extending one’s life by twenty years would be of astonishing value even in the Cultivation World, let alone here on Earth. It would be a priceless artifact that not even an entire city could be traded for. Yet that man was willing to simply give it away... It was truly admirable.

”Indeed. Meeting him was the greatest fortune of my life,” the old gentleman sighed, then suddenly smiled. ”But, young man, such treasures that extend one’s life must be exceedingly rare on Earth, wouldn’t you say? Finding one would be a monumental problem, no?”

”That’s right, Doctor Chen,” Elder Xunn couldn’t help but interject. ”If we can’t find such a treasure, how much longer can the Old Chief live? Can you tell?”

Clearly, everyone now understood that the key was the life-extending treasure. However, a man like Xunn Lun had only encountered such an item once in his entire life. In other words, it was impossibly rare, something one could only hope to find by chance.

And so, if they couldn’t find such a treasure, how much longer did the Old Chief have? Perhaps that was the real heart of the matter.

Xuu Ji understood this as well, and his breathing grew ragged.

”Given the old master’s current condition, he has half a month at most,” Chen Fei said after a moment of contemplation, his brow furrowed slightly.

”Half a month? That’s too short...” The old gentleman frowned deeply, a troubled look in his eyes. With only half a month, forget about finding a life-extending treasure; there wasn’t even enough time for him to arrange his affairs.

After all, his son and daughter were both too weak, far from capable of supporting the vast Xuu Family. In other words, once he was gone, wouldn’t the great Xuu Family begin its decline?

”Alas, every generation has its own fortune to make,” he sighed deeply, shaking his head. ”It seems this old bag of bones can’t manage it, nor is there any way for me to manage it.”

Hearing this, both Elder Xunn and Xuu Ji fell silent, a sense of panic creeping into the younger man’s heart. Without a doubt, the words of both Chen Fei and his grandfather had just pronounced a death sentence on the Xuu Family. It seemed the decline of their family was now unavoidable.

”Old Master, I haven’t finished speaking yet,” Chen Fei said suddenly, unable to hide his exasperation. ”Don’t be in such a hurry to sigh.”

At his words, everyone present froze. A sharp glint flashed in the old gentleman’s eyes. ”Young man, could it be you have another way?”

”Naturally.”

Chen Fei nodded slightly, his tone turning extremely serious. ”I have another method. Without relying on a life-extending treasure, I can try to win you another year, perhaps a year and a half, of life. However, the success rate is only fifty percent. So, you must consider carefully whether to attempt it or not.”

”What is there to consider?” the old gentleman replied without a moment’s hesitation. ”Of course, we must try! I, Old Man Xuu, am living on borrowed time as it is. No matter what happens, I’ve already won.”

It was no laughing matter. If he didn’t try, he would be dead in half a month anyway. If he tried, he might just gain an extra year, or even a year and a half. Anyone would know which choice to make. But could such a miraculous medical technique truly exist in this world? It was hard to believe!

”How can such a wondrous method exist in this world? It’s impossible!” Not only the old gentleman but even Elder Xunn was completely stunned by Chen Fei’s words. For someone of his level and status to be so utterly shocked was a testament to how astonishing the claim was. Such a miraculous method actually existed in the world?