Medical Sage

”HISS!”

”Ben... Benson...”

While Chen Fei silently gazed at the blue-eyed foreign elder, Brother Zhou Shang, who stood not far away, suddenly trembled. His face, normally harsh and as if carved by a knife, contorted, and his eyes rippled with an emotion he rarely ever showed: fear.

”Hehe...”

Hearing the name, the blue-eyed foreigner’s withered face finally trembled slightly. Then, a sharp glint seemed to flash from his deep, ominous eyes. He exuded a bizarre and spine-chilling aura that made people tremble.

”It seems the information we received was correct. Young man, you’re the one who stole something from our Houston Family.” The old man glanced at Zhou Shang and hissed ominously, ”Am I right?”

At his words, Brother Zhou Shang couldn’t help but shudder violently. A green light radiated from his body, his fists clenched tight, and his expression grew grave as he remained silent.

”Hehe, right. I haven’t introduced myself yet,” the elder said with an ominous smile, his gaze returning to Chen Fei. He spoke with a humble politeness, yet the unsettling, hair-raising eeriness around him refused to dissipate. ”My name is Benson Houston, and I am a member of the Houston Family.”

The Houston Family was one of America’s top ten families, representing the supreme authority of the Western Dark World.

Of course, O’Kenney and the bio-man Dom are also from there. Is this man before me really from the same family?

”The Houston Family... I don’t believe I’ve heard the name. However, given your strength, you must hold a high position in this Houston Family of yours, right?” Chen Fei asked the grim-faced, blue-eyed elder, a sudden smile playing on his lips.

”Position? At my age, I no longer need to waste my thoughts on such things... However, if you really want to know, your companion behind you should be quite clear on the matter, shouldn’t he?” Benson chuckled ominously, ran his dark red tongue across his lips, and stared coldly at Zhou Shang with a sneer.

”Oh?”

A sharp glint flashed through Chen Fei’s dark, clear eyes. He turned his head slightly toward Brother Zhou Shang and asked with utter calm, ”Brother Shang, who is he?”

”...He is Benson of the Houston Family, touted as the one most likely to reach the ss Rank of Ability Users.” Zhou Shang took a deep breath, avoiding Benson’s sinister gaze. He spoke slowly, ”The Houston Family of America is one of the top ten most powerful families in the United States. The family is backed by two S Level Superpowered individuals, who are equivalent to our Innate Ancient Martial Artists! The name of one of those two is Benson... Benson Houston.”

He paused for a moment before whispering, ”And according to rumors, he’s been an S Level Superpowered for over thirty years. His strength can only be described as unfathomable, and he’s reputed to be the closest to reaching ss Rank.”

”ss Rank? A Mid-Stage Innate Ancient Martial Artist?” Chen Fei frowned slightly.

”Yes, that’s right.” Brother Zhou Shang nodded. ”The ss Rank for Ability Users is equivalent to a Mid-Stage Innate Ancient Martial Artist in our Huaxian Ancient Martial Arts.”

”I see...” Chen Fei nodded thoughtfully, a peculiar light flashing in his eyes. He turned back to Benson, the corner of his mouth hooking into a wry smile. ”Sir, with your strength, you shouldn’t be able to roam freely in our country, should you? Did you sneak in? Aren’t you afraid someone will cause trouble for you?”

”You needn’t worry about me,” Benson responded coolly, his grim smile never wavering. His tone then turned sharp. ”A rat stole something from our Houston Family. How could I not come to deal with it personally?”

As he spoke, he took a hunched step forward, and an unimaginably powerful aura flowed from his aging body. It was as serene as a gentle breeze, yet as devastating as a storm, and it instantly turned the once-quiet training ground ’terrifying’ once more.

A tempest-like pressure filled the air, and its overwhelming force was even stronger than what Chen Fei had displayed earlier—twice as strong, then three times...

That level of power had, without a doubt, reached the legendary stage. He was an S-Level Ability User, hailed as a king and a master of the underground world, equivalent to an Early-Stage Innate Ancient Martial Artist!

”So... so strong...” Li Wan, Dong Jianhui, and the others turned pale. For them, this was likely the first time they were ’fortunate’ enough to encounter such a terrifying existence. Chen Fei, of course, was an exception.

Even Brother Zhou Shang wore a solemn expression, not daring to even breathe too loudly. At a time like this, despite being a Half-Step Innate, he was as weak as an infant before a being of that caliber, no different from anyone else.

”To come here and swagger around on Huaxian territory... isn’t that a bit presumptuous of you?” At that moment, a cold voice spoke up. Everyone instinctively turned their shocked eyes toward the young man.

How dare he? To speak to Lord Benson—a King-class Superpowered on the verge of reaching ss Rank—with such a tone... Is he trying to get himself killed?

”Heh heh, and what about you People of Huaxia? Coming to America to steal, and you even dared to steal from our Houston Family...” The old man named Benson chuckled sinisterly, but his smile was so cold it made one’s bones tremble.

”And your people have never done the same?” Chen Fei retorted with a slight pout, a strange look in his dark eyes. ”Since these are tacitly approved actions, it’s fair game. Everyone relies on their own skills. The item is already here in Huaxia. Are you really planning to pursue the matter?” As he spoke, his tone became confrontational.

Although we might be slightly in the wrong here... this is clearly the kind of thing both our countries turn a blind eye to. You Americans have done it plenty of times, secretly stealing all sorts of scientific research and high-tech secrets from Huaxia. Now that it’s finally your turn to feel the sting, you throw a tantrum this big? Isn’t that a bit much?

”You...”

The blue-eyed American, Benson, furrowed his brow. This kid is really something else. How dare he speak to me, Old Benson, like that? His mocking and accusatory tone is really starting to get under my skin.

”Sir, this matter originally had nothing to do with you. Are you saying you wish to get involved now?” he asked Chen Fei, his voice dangerously calm. If not for being slightly wary of Chen Fei’s strength, he would have attacked long ago instead of wasting so much time talking.

Hearing this, an inexplicable chill descended upon Dong Jianhui, Li Wan, and even Brother Zhou Shang. A look of trepidation was clear in all their eyes.

However, Chen Fei simply replied in a calm, steady voice, ”And what if I am? You need to understand something. I am a person of Huaxia. In a matter like this, did you really expect me to stand idly by?”

That’s right. Setting aside right and wrong, I am a person of Huaxia first and foremost. That’s the only distinction that matters right now. Brother Zhou Shang has clearly brought back something extraordinary for Huaxia, a contribution to the nation. For that reason alone, I, Chen Fei, cannot possibly stand aside and do nothing! As a person of Huaxia, it’s the least I can do to maintain a clear conscience.

”Hmph! In that case, let Old Benson see for himself just how formidable such a young Innate Ancient Martial Artist can be!” Old Benson’s deep, sinister pupils locked onto Chen Fei. A storm of power beyond imagination erupted from him, sweeping across the entire training ground in a devastating wave.

”Do you really think I’m afraid of you?” Chen Fei’s expression hardened in response. A vast and piercing Sword Qi of Sanyang True Fire burst forth, soaring into the sky. Three fiery manifestations of Sword Qi materialized around him, coiling and undulating, pulsing with an astonishing heat.

This flame-like Sword Qi was none other than the Sword Qi of Sanyang True Fire.

Evidently, since cultivating the first strand of this fiery Sword Qi, his power had advanced by leaps and bounds, allowing him to condense a second and now a third.

”HISS!”

Witnessing this, both Brother Zhou Shang and the bio-man Dom couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath, their eyes wide with shock. Only now did they realize that their previous exchange with Chen Fei had been complete child’s play. He hadn’t used even a fifth, perhaps not even a tenth, of his true strength.

The aura Chen Fei was now displaying was simply too strong. It was terrifying.

”Your power does not disappoint me.”

BOOM!

Yet, even this torrential display of power was merely enough to ”not disappoint” Old Benson.

In the next instant, a bright green light flashed in his deep, sinister eyes. His aged body was suddenly engulfed in a terrifying storm, its rumbling roar deafening within the training ground. Amidst this awesome display, the energy coalesced into a colossal storm handprint that hurtled down from the sky toward Chen Fei.

”Wind Magic: Wind Dragon’s Tooth!” Old Benson chanted.

RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

The powerful magic coalesced from wind elementals manifested an astonishing spectacle. Even before it struck, the air itself seemed to compress to its breaking point. Below, a network of fissures began to crack across the hard ground.

”This...” Even Chen Fei’s pupils couldn’t help but shrink at the sight. He stomped down hard, his figure flashing away in an instant, leaving only an afterimage behind.

”Wind is the fastest element in this world. Do you think you can be faster than it?” Just then, Old Benson sneered sinisterly, and Chen Fei’s expression changed in a flash. In the same moment Benson spoke, the Wind Magic—the Wind Dragon’s Tooth—was already right behind him.

And then...

BOOM! RUMBLE! RUMBLE...