Xie Hui rushed forward in his excitement, but Xie Fei remained where he was; if both of them approached, it would be disrespectful to the guest.

Zhang Yang smiled, nodded, and strode forward.

The men who had driven over with him now also ran towards the old man, gathering around him with joyous shouts. Some called him 'Grandpa,' and others called him 'Great-Grandpa.'

The old man's face was covered in smiles.

"What a happy family!"

Mi Xue couldn't help but pull on Zhang Yang's arm, saying with palpable envy.

These people must all be the old man's descendants; seeing so many of them gathered together in such harmony was indeed moving.

Zhang Yang nodded gently: "It is a happy family!"

At this moment, Zhang Yang recalled what Xie Hui had said earlier—that their entire clan was extremely united, and within their family, there would be no conflict between brothers or disputes over wealth.

Such a family was truly enviable.

"Grandpa, I have great news for you! The Thousand-Year Ginseng, we found it! We finally found it!"

Xie Hui grabbed the old man's arm, speaking with intense excitement. At this moment, he seemed completely different from before.

Previously, Xie Hui had appeared steady, mature, and generous—an elite figure clearly hailing from a prominent family, already capable of handling major responsibilities on his own. But now, he was like a child, a big kid simply overjoyed by good tidings.

Xie Fei’s face also broke into a smile. The Thousand-Year Ginseng—the family had searched for it for so long, and finally, it was found. Although he hadn't seen it yet, he believed Xie Hui’s word.

Having searched for ginseng for so many years, everyone in the family involved had become an expert on the root.

"Don't just focus on yourself. We have guests!"

The old man chuckled, patting Xie Hui's head. Xie Hui, already in his mid-thirties, seemed to genuinely enjoy the old man's affectionate gesture.

As the old man spoke, he kept his gaze on Zhang Yang, and there was a strange light in his eyes.

"Elder, hello!"

Zhang Yang walked up then, smiling as he greeted the old man. Seeing him up close, the iron-blooded military bearing that emanated from the elder was even more pronounced. Though he was well past seventy, that imposing aura was permanently ingrained in him.

"Grandpa, this is Zhang Yang, Mr. Zhang. He has the Thousand-Year Ginseng in his possession, and even a two-thousand-year specimen; I have already examined it!"

Xie Hui hastily introduced Zhang Yang, emphasizing the Thousand-Year Ginseng and omitting any mention of Zhang Yang's identity as a doctor.

Even now, Xie Hui probably didn't fully trust Zhang Yang's medical skills. For him, Zhang Yang bringing the ginseng was sufficient proof.

"Elder, I do have the Thousand-Year Ginseng, but I am also a physician. Might I be permitted to examine you?"

Since Xie Hui hadn't mentioned it, Zhang Yang introduced himself. Observing the elder, Zhang Yang could immediately see numerous issues with the old man’s health.

First and foremost, he indeed suffered from Qi deficiency, specifically a severe deficiency of both Qi and Blood. This condition, persisting for a long time, would not be easy to treat. It was like a tree whose roots were intact but severely decayed; it could not withstand aggressive intervention and required slow, careful conditioning.

"You are a doctor too?"

The old man’s eyes suddenly brightened, and he asked with a chuckle. His question left Zhang Yang feeling slightly puzzled, and it confused the Xie brothers standing nearby as well.

The elder should be meeting Zhang Yang for the first time; why did he use the word 'too'?

"My apologies, I was somewhat presumptuous. Dr. Zhang, please come inside!"

The elder continued, and with assistance from those beside him, he slowly began walking toward the back. The Xie brothers exchanged glances and gently shook their heads, remaining silent.

Grandpa’s reaction today was somewhat unusual, but neither of them dwelled on it; curing Grandpa’s illness was the most important thing.

"Zhang Yang, what's wrong?" Mi Xue tugged on Zhang Yang's arm and asked softly.

"I'm fine, let's go!"

Zhang Yang shook his head. He had a very strange feeling just now, a sensation he couldn't quite articulate, so he pushed it aside for the moment.

There was a large living room in the villa's rear courtyard, featuring a recliner chair. The elder, supported by an attendant, slowly settled into it.

Xie Hui edged closer to Zhang Yang, hesitating slightly. Finally, he leaned in and whispered to Zhang Yang, "Mr. Zhang, please examine my grandfather first. If it doesn't work out, you can just sell the ginseng to us!"

He still didn't entirely trust Zhang Yang, his focus remaining firmly on the ginseng Zhang Yang possessed.

This wasn't entirely his fault; so many doctors had examined the elder, and none could offer a cure. Even the most famous celebrated physicians had only suggested using ginseng to sustain his life; a true cure required the Thousand-Year Ginseng.

In their minds, the conviction that only the Thousand-Year Ginseng could save a life had long been established.

"Mr. Xie, please rest assured. If saving him requires it, I will not hold back the Thousand-Year Ginseng," Zhang Yang replied with a slight smile, then strode forward to sit beside the old man.

This elder had a military background, and the commanding presence from his days in service still lingered. However, unlike some aging veterans, he didn't carry the bad temper cultivated in the barracks.

His disposition was excellent—very kind, treating everyone equally, and frequently smiling. Zhang Yang surmised that without this broad-minded attitude, the elder likely wouldn't have lasted this long.

The old man suddenly extended his hand, placing it directly in front of Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang felt nothing unusual and naturally placed his fingers on the elder's radial artery. Xie Hui and Xie Fei, however, showed a flash of surprise.

They had only said Zhang Yang was a doctor, not a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Why was their grandfather cooperating so readily, extending his arm like that? Given Zhang Yang's age, even if he were a physician, he didn't seem like a TCM specialist.

At this moment, Zhang Yang overlooked this small detail. As his fingers rested on the elder's pulse point, his brow gradually furrowed.

The old man's pulse was exceedingly faint, so light that one had to concentrate to feel it. This wasn't a deep pulse (chen mai); a deep pulse requires force, but no amount of pressure would change this one.

Such a faint pulse typically indicated someone whose vitality was almost extinguished, someone near death. Yet, judging by the elder's complexion, while not good, he was far from that critical stage.

Releasing the old man's arm, Zhang Yang’s brow remained tightly knit, and he shook his head slightly in a manner that seemed unnatural.

"Mr. Zhang, how is it?" Xie Hui leaned in anxiously to ask.

"Xiao Hui, don't rush. Listen to Dr. Zhang!"

The old man waved his hand. Xie Hui glanced at his grandfather with wide eyes, then stepped back without asking further.

He knew Zhang Yang was a doctor, yet he had consistently called him 'Mr.' The old man, meeting Zhang Yang for the first time today, had consistently called him 'Dr. Zhang.' These differences in address were quite interesting.

However, no one paid attention to that; everyone was currently watching Zhang Yang.

"Elder, in your younger years, did you consume any kind of spiritual medicine, or perhaps a rare natural treasure like the Thousand-Year Ginseng?" Zhang Yang turned and asked quietly. The elder's eyes lit up again, and Xie Fei looked towards Xie Hui.

Xie Hui’s face registered pure astonishment. His grandfather had indeed consumed a spiritual medicine in his youth; without it, he would have died long ago, and none of them would exist.

Everyone in the Xie family knew this, and many previous doctors were aware of it, but Zhang Yang didn't know, and Xie Hui was certain he had never mentioned it to him.

"A very long time ago, because of severe injuries, I took a Snow Lotus Pill," the elder said slowly, constantly studying Zhang Yang as he spoke.

"I see. This must have been a very rare Snow Lotus Pill, correct?" Zhang Yang nodded, a look of sudden realization on his face. The elder’s explanation cleared up his confusion. There were many types of snow lotus, but truly high-quality ones were as rare as Thousand-Year Ginseng—a natural treasure of immense value.

"Yes. The doctor who saved me at that time said the main ingredient for that Snow Lotus Pill was the seed of a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus," the elder slowly confirmed, gazing upward as if recalling something.

"Elder, may I take your pulse again?" Zhang Yang requested. He hadn't known the elder had consumed such potent spiritual medicine; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so perplexed by his pulse reading earlier.

Zhang Yang’s fingers settled back onto the elder's radial artery, and a surge of internal energy (neijin) extended from his fingertips, penetrating directly into the elder's body.

The elder immediately felt a warmth flowing within his arm.

He lowered his gaze from the ceiling, looking straight at Zhang Yang, a complex and indescribable expression in his eyes.

After taking the pulse this time, Zhang Yang nodded slightly. He finally understood the old man's complete condition.

Having consumed a celestial treasure, even if it was just a Snow Lotus Pill compounded from Thousand-Year Snow Lotus Seeds, his constitution was inherently different from ordinary people. Simple pulse diagnosis wouldn't suffice; Zhang Yang needed to use his internal energy to map the terrain within before he could ascertain the truth.

Initially, Zhang Yang hadn't considered this depth of complexity and hadn't used his neijin for the initial examination. Only after receiving confirmation from the elder did he re-examine the pulse.

"Elder, you are a blessed man!"

Releasing the old man's arm, Zhang Yang said with a cheerful smile.

"Dr. Zhang, why do you say that?" The elder returned the smile and asked directly.

Zhang Yang chuckled: "In your twenties, did you suffer a severe trauma, losing so much blood you nearly died? But fortune favored you; someone saved you and gave you a Thousand-Year Snow Lotus Pill!"

"How do you know it was someone else who saved me, and not that I already possessed the Snow Lotus Pill?" the elder asked, looking sharply at Zhang Yang.

"That is impossible. Your injury at the time could not have been resolved by the Snow Lotus Pill alone. While potent elixirs have a great effect, they require proper administration. If no one had assisted you, even consuming the pill might have prolonged your life temporarily, but not for a lifetime; you wouldn't have lasted until now," Zhang Yang stated with certainty, shaking his head, a hint of awe coloring his expression as he spoke.

…………