Medical Sage

About an hour later, the convoy of black vehicles slowly entered a siheyuan compound in Capital City.

”Doctor Chen, this is the place.” After getting out of the car, Chen Zhenjun chose to ignore Captain Qing and the others sent by the old master. He pointed toward the courtyard with a complex expression, his authoritative eyes unconsciously betraying a hint of tension. His rough hands were clenched tightly together.

Chen Fei nodded slightly, though his gaze swept over the siheyuan with an unusual light. He could already sense something was out of the ordinary here. A strong, bitter scent of traditional medicine permeated the air, a mixture of many precious and rare herbs, and… something else. A flicker of an aura that even he found dangerous.

”We’ll wait outside,” Captain Qing said, stepping out of one of the black cars. He kept glancing furtively into the siheyuan, his eyes filled with a mixture of reverence and wariness.

Hearing this, Chen Zhenjun’s expressionless face showed a subtle hint of unease. With a soft, internal sigh, he led Chen Fei inside.

”Uncle Chen, may I ask who they are?” Chen Fei asked calmly as they stepped into the courtyard.

Chen Zhenjun was momentarily taken aback before he dodged the question, whispering, ”It’s fine, you don’t need to know about them. They’re just here to see me.”

”Is that so? I hope that’s the case,” Chen Fei remarked with a noncommittal smile. He laced his fingers behind his head and murmured as if to himself, ”I only came to Capital City to treat a patient. As long as nobody gives me any trouble, then everything will be just fine for everyone.”

Chen Zhenjun’s heart skipped a beat at these words. He glanced at Chen Fei, his expression shifting with surprise at the sudden statement. Could it be... that he already knows something?

”Minister Chen, you’ve arrived?” At that moment, an elderly man in a medical practitioner’s uniform emerged from the inner courtyard. It was the same man Chen Zhenjun had earlier called Dr. Mo.

”Dr. Mo, how is Little Liin’s condition?” Chen Zhenjun asked reflexively.

Dr. Mo shook his head and sighed. ”Not ideal. In fact, his condition is now quite dangerous.” He then turned his aged eyes to scrutinize Chen Fei. ”Is this Doctor Chen? Mr. Quan is inside. Perhaps you should go in first, Minister Chen?”

”What? Elder Quan is here too?” Chen Zhenjun’s expression soured. Mr. Quan was the master of this siheyuan. His son had been entrusted to the man’s care, yet here he was, bringing in Chen Fei. Wasn’t this a blatant challenge to Elder Quan’s medical skills?

This Elder Quan was a man of extraordinary background and status.

His full name was Quan Qiusheng. He had been a renowned military medic during the great war, having saved countless Huaxia soldiers, generals, and commanders from the brink of death. Today, he stood as one of the most formidable National Sages of Medicine in Capital City.

He was also a member of the Medical Sage Hall.

”You’ve come?”

Just as Chen Zhenjun’s thoughts were in a tangle, a deep, somber voice cut through the air. A frail, trembling old man appeared before them, leaning heavily on a cane. His withered face was covered in liver spots, and he was being supported by a man in his thirties wearing an Armani outfit.

”Mr. Quan.”

”Elder Quan.”

Dr. Mo and Chen Zhenjun both greeted him instinctively.

Only Chen Fei’s eyes narrowed slightly. He gave the old man a slight bow without speaking. Not surprising for a place like Capital City... there are so many formidable old-timers around.

This was clearly another unfathomably powerful old man. As for how powerful, he couldn’t be sure, but the man had to be at least at the Innate Middle Stage.

”Are you Chen Fei?”

Suddenly, the younger man in the Armani outfit standing by the elder’s side spoke, his tone dripping with arrogance. He extended a hand, looking Chen Fei up and down with a scrutinizing gaze. ”Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sunx Long, and I have just graduated as a disciple from the Qingniu Medical Valley. And you, Doctor Chen… what is your school of medicine?”

”The Qingniu Medical Valley?”

Chen Fei glanced at the man with surprise. The Qingniu Medical Valley held a Divine Holy status in the eyes of martial medical practitioners, especially those from the northern Martial Forest. Its medical legacy was known to be incredibly profound and formidable. Therefore, anyone who successfully graduated from there as a disciple was more than worthy of being called a National Sage of Medicine.

At that thought, Chen Fei extended his own hand and shook Sunx Long’s, replying blandly, ”I have no master or school. I’m just self-taught.”

”Self-taught?” A sneer spread across Sunx Long’s face, and he let out a derisive snort. He hadn’t expected such an answer. Self-taught? He knows he’s self-taught, yet he still dares to come to Capital City to make a fool of himself and steal my master’s patient? What a joke! How outrageous!

”Minister Chen, forgive my bluntness,” Sunx Long said, his tone dripping with condescending disdain, ”but even my master admitted he was helpless to do anything about your son’s condition. How could this clueless fellow you found possibly make a difference? This is a complete waste of time.”

Hearing this, Chen Fei’s expression flickered.

”Nephew Sunx, watch your tone,” Chen Zhenjun said, his voice turning cold and unfriendly. ”I personally invited Doctor Chen here. I’d advise you not to speak so recklessly.”

Faced with the stern tone of a Deputy Minister, Sunx Long didn’t dare push his luck. His face flushed and paled as he retorted with a final huff, ”Fine. If you refuse my good intentions and insist on being deceived, Minister Chen, then just pretend I, Sunx Long, never tried to warn you. Rely on him? Hmph! Pathetic!”

Even at the end, he couldn’t resist one last contemptuous sneer at Chen Fei to assert his superiority.

”Ahem, that’s… that’s enough. Be quiet,” the cane-wielding elder suddenly interjected, his voice trembling. A gloomy pall fell over the group.

”My disciple is ill-mannered,” he said, looking at Chen Fei. ”If you have real skill, little brother, then don’t lower yourself to his level. What do you say?”

These words made Sunx Long, standing behind him, flush a deep crimson. What does he mean, my disciple is ill-mannered? What does he mean, don’t lower myself to his level? Doesn’t that make me look like a buffoon?

Chen Fei merely narrowed his eyes and said nothing. His gaze, as dark and clear as black jade, swept from the flushed face of Sunx Long to the trembling old man with the cane, a cold glint in his eyes. Dealing with such self-righteous old coots is so damn irritating!

Seeing this, the old man glanced at Chen Fei, a flicker of something cold and strange in his turbid eyes. He quickly masked it and shook his head, his voice raspy. ”Young people today are so hot-headed. It seems this old face of mine doesn’t command much respect anymore… Sunx, apologize to Doctor Chen.”

”What?!”

”Apologize?!”

Elder Quan Qiusheng’s command stunned both Chen Zhenjun and Dr. Mo. As for Sunx Long, his face turned the color of a beet. Just moments ago, they had all tensed up, thinking the elder was angry at the slight. They never expected such a twist. He was actually ordering his own disciple to apologize to Chen Fei for just a few words?

”Master, I… I…” Sunx Long stammered, his face burning with humiliation. He was obviously unwilling.

”Silence! Apologize!” the old man interrupted, his trembling voice now laced with cold authority. He frowned with impatience, and an oppressive weight settled over everyone. His tone left no room for argument.

”Yes, yes…” Sunx Long’s heart plummeted, and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He bowed his head toward Chen Fei, his voice thick with shame as he began to mumble, ”Doctor Chen, I’m sorry, I…”

”What’s wrong, didn’t you eat?” Chen Fei cut him off flatly, casually cleaning out an ear. He shot Sunx Long an impatient look. ”I can’t hear you. Where did all that swagger from earlier go? If you don’t want to apologize, then get out of my sight. It’s annoying having to look at you making a fool of yourself.”

At these words, the expressions of both Chen Zhenjun and Dr. Mo shifted. They couldn’t believe Chen Fei was bold enough to take such a posture in front of Elder Quan himself. Wasn’t this going too far?

”Who the hell do you think you are?!” After a moment of shocked silence, Sunx Long’s face twisted with fury. ”Do you have any idea who I am? I’m from the Sunx Family!” The Sunx Family! One of Capital City’s top three Red Families! What is this country bumpkin, this piece of trash? How dare he speak to me, Sunx Long, like that? Does he really think he’s somebody?

But before his furious words could fully leave his mouth, a sharp sound cut through the air.

SLAP!

Chen Fei had struck him across the face, a single blow so powerful it sent him spinning.

As the sound of the slap faded, the entire courtyard fell into a dead silence. Sunx Long stood there dumbly, one hand cupping his stinging cheek, staring at Chen Fei in disbelief. Chen Zhenjun and Dr. Mo were equally stunned, never imagining Chen Fei would actually resort to violence.

Only Chen Fei seemed unfazed. After hitting the man, he rubbed his hands together as if wiping off something distasteful. Then, his dark, crystal-clear eyes swept back to the old man with the cane.

”Old sir, forgive my bluntness,” he said calmly, ”but it seems your choice of disciple is rather poor. His mouth is foul, and his face is surprisingly tough.”