Gufang embraced Zhang Yang with palpable excitement, causing Li Wei’s eyelids to twitch unnaturally. His state of mind now was drastically different from before he left.

Before, he had viewed Zhang Yang as merely an ordinary doctor; upon returning, Zhang Yang had transformed in his eyes into an immensely powerful master. He had witnessed every single confrontation Zhang Yang and his companions had with the Spirit Apes.

It was precisely because he saw it all that he better understood the formidable strength of Zhang Yang and his group. Seeing his cousin clinging to a ‘master’ like that made it nearly impossible for him not to feel a surge of fear.

By his estimation, these ‘masters’ usually possessed peculiar temperaments, or looked down upon ordinary people like themselves. If Zhang Yang made even the slightest move, Gufang would be instantly finished.

“Let’s go, saving people is the priority!” After letting Gufang hold him for a moment, Zhang Yang finally spoke with a gentle smile. Just as Li Wei prepared to pull Gufang away, his expression shifted into renewed astonishment.

He hadn't expected Zhang Yang to be so casual, showing absolutely no airs of a ‘master.’ However, recalling their previous interactions, Zhang Yang had always seemed this way. In contrast, Long Feng, who was beside him, always maintained a distant, aloof, and cool demeanor.

“Right, saving people is the priority, saving people is the priority! Zhang Yang, please, you first!” Gufang quickly released Zhang Yang, utterly unaware of the complex turmoil churning in his cousin’s mind.

In Gufang’s view, Zhang Yang was simply a young master, or perhaps a young master with exceptional medical skills, who had brought him a miracle. Everything else about Zhang Yang remained unknown to him.

A luxurious, stretched limousine awaited them, and Gufang pulled Zhang Yang directly into the vehicle. This car had been specifically arranged to pick up Zhang Yang.

Elder Qiao’s family had shown considerable sincerity in this matter, largely because Zhang Yang was capable of saving Elder Qiao. At the hospital, the conference room was already filled to capacity.

There were experts with yellow skin, white skin, and even one with dark skin. Of the global specialists who had gathered for Elder Qiao’s consultation, only a few had been forced to leave due to unavoidable circumstances.

The rest remained, all gathered here, awaiting the return of that miraculous young man. Sustaining Elder Qiao’s life for several days with only a few silver needles and an unknown medication was already considered a miracle in their eyes.

They were all eager to see if Zhang Yang truly possessed the ability to fully restore Elder Qiao’s life. “Dr.

Wang, is the Traditional Chinese Medicine of your country truly that miraculous?” The conference room held over forty experts, about half of whom were domestic specialists. There were fewer than twenty foreign experts.

The question came from a fair-skinned foreigner, a British specialist who had previously lived in China and studied Chinese for a time. He was speaking now in heavily accented, stilted Mandarin.

After he finished speaking, others began translating for those who did not understand Chinese. The caliber of specialists invited were all internationally renowned; bringing along translators was hardly an issue.

Wang Bin smiled faintly, a hint of surprise in his eyes, but mostly a sense of pride. This foreign doctor was addressing him directly.

He replied with a calm smile, speaking slowly, “TCM is the quintessence of our nation, passed down through millennia, with countless unbelievable miracles recorded in history. Furthermore, in the treatment of many ailments, TCM possesses unparalleled advantages that Western medicine cannot match.

I firmly believe that TCM can be this miraculous!” As the host, Wang Bin was naturally the subject of inquiry from the foreign specialists. While delivering these words, Wang Bin exuded great pride, despite being a Western medicine practitioner himself.

The other Chinese doctors all nodded in agreement. Although they were not the ones performing the miracle this time, Zhang Yang was still their compatriot, and the methods employed involved the nation’s quintessence, TCM.

Even those among them who studied Western medicine felt a profound sense of pride. This was a national pride, entirely unrelated to their specific fields of study.

“The quintessence. The national quintessence of China.

I understand!” The Caucasian doctor nodded and gave a thumbs-up. Regardless of whether Zhang Yang succeeded in saving Elder Qiao, extending his life for this duration was already astonishing to them.

Now, they were intensely curious about the few needles Zhang Yang had inserted. Those needles remained in Elder Qiao’s body.

Every doctor had examined them in the preceding days and expressed amazement upon learning their length. It was hard for them to imagine such long needles inserted into the body not only failing to cause adverse reactions but actually prolonging life.

In summary, TCM—the ancient practice they once dismissed and failed to comprehend—had suddenly become mysterious and immensely elevated, all thanks to Zhang Yang. “Director Wang, Dr.

Zhang, Dr. Zhang is back!” The door to the conference room suddenly burst open, and a doctor in his mid-thirties entered.

Those who understood his words immediately stood up; those who didn't followed suit after a quick translation. The person they had been waiting for, that miraculous young man, had finally returned.

“Go!” Wang Bin was the first to stride out. Zhang Yang’s return meant he had brought back what he went looking for.

According to Zhang Yang’s previous statements, once the necessary item was retrieved, Elder Qiao could be cured, completely healed. Complete healing was vastly different from merely extending life by a few days.

Wang Bin was eager to see if Zhang Yang could truly perform this miracle. The entire room of experts filed out, only to be halted in the corridor outside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Elder Qiao was not an ordinary man; allowing this large group to crowd the area for observation was impossible. Moreover, the ICU simply could not accommodate so many people, let alone permit them entry.

After negotiations, only Wang Bin and four other doctors were allowed inside. The remaining specialists waited anxiously outside.

Among the five allowed in were three foreign colleagues who had arrived earliest and dedicated themselves fully to Elder Qiao’s treatment. This group included the British doctor who had asked the earlier question.

When they arrived, Zhang Yang had not yet reached the main floor; the motorcade had only just entered the hospital grounds. A short while later, Zhang Yang arrived, accompanied by Gufang and others.

Zhang Yang had already changed his clothes and showed no outward signs of abnormality. “Dr.

Zhang, Dr. Zhang, how is it?

Are you confident?” Upon seeing Zhang Yang, Wang Bin rushed forward first. He completely disregarded his status as a distinguished director and renowned national expert, stepping forward to greet a student.

He had already made bold claims; if Zhang Yang failed to save Elder Qiao, Wang Bin would share in the humiliation. His embarrassment aside, the quintessence of TCM would also be disgraced.

He genuinely did not wish for his foreign counterparts to look down upon their traditional medicine. The greater the prominence of TCM, the greater their collective pride.

“Please rest assured, Director. I have retrieved what was needed.

Elder Qiao will definitely be fine this time!” Zhang Yang smiled lightly. He understood Elder Qiao’s physical condition better than anyone.

Once the right treatment was applied, Elder Qiao’s illness would certainly be eradicated. Zhang Yang had already secured the medicine; the next step was administering it to Elder Qiao, and his condition would improve shortly, leading to his awakening.

“That’s good news then!” Wang Bin nodded in relief. Just as the British doctor beside him was about to inquire further, Zhang Yang walked toward the patient’s room.

Elder Qiao’s spirit and vitality were severely depleted, especially his spirit (Shen). Earlier treatment meant an earlier chance of success.

Inside the ward, only a few doctors were present. Among the family, only Gufang was allowed to accompany him.

Long Feng stood quietly outside with Lightning and Shadow, waiting patiently, while Li Wei stood nearby, attending to things with caution. Elder Qiao lay sleeping peacefully.

The readings on the surrounding monitors were normal, and a slight flush had returned to his face. These were the beneficial effects of the thousand-year-old Ginseng Pill.

Regrettably, the area over Elder Qiao’s Yintang (the space between the eyebrows) remained somewhat dim—a clear sign of a weakened spirit. While the spirit was fragile, it had not dissipated entirely; as long as it remained, there was hope for recovery.

Zhang Yang took out the jade box and retrieved a stalk of Soul-Returning Grass (Huanhun Cao). Gufang beside him was already preparing a cup.

Zhang Yang delicately pinched the leaves of the grass, squeezing out its vital fluid directly into the cup. After completely expressing the juice from one stalk, Zhang Yang set the squeezed grass aside.

A thin layer of liquid now coated the bottom of the cup. Zhang Yang took the cup and gently administered the resulting liquid—the essence of the Soul-Returning Grass—to Elder Qiao as an oral dose.

“After washing this stalk, have someone simmer it over a gentle fire for one hour!” Zhang Yang pointed to the squeezed Soul-Returning Grass and instructed Gufang. Gufang immediately nodded, taking the used grass stalk and leaving the room to instruct others on preparing the decoction.

As he left, Zhang Yang kept his eyes fixed on the sleeping Elder Qiao, or more precisely, on his forehead. Moments later, the faint dimness on Elder Qiao’s brow began to change.

Although the alteration was subtle, it did not escape Zhang Yang’s constant observation. A slight smile slowly curved Zhang Yang’s lips.

The Soul-Returning Grass was taking effect; Elder Qiao’s spirit was beginning to be repaired and replenished. With a strong spirit, the body would naturally follow, and all aspects of his physical condition would gradually improve.

Of course, full recovery would take time, but he would indeed awaken soon. Having confirmed the effectiveness of the Soul-Returning Grass, Zhang Yang began to remove the needles from Elder Qiao.

The needles had been inserted for almost two days, and leaving any single needle in a person for too long was not advisable. As Zhang Yang pulled out the exceptionally long silver needles, the eyes of the foreign specialists present nearly popped out of their heads.

They had heard the needles were long, but seeing them firsthand was an entirely different matter. The British doctor couldn't help but mutter words that sounded like reverence—meaning "miraculous." After removing all the needles, Zhang Yang let out a slow breath, then glanced at the first silver needle with a touch of regret.

The tip of the needle had turned slightly black; these needles were completely ruined and could never be used again. He would need to prepare a new set.

This realization reignited Zhang Yang’s desire to forge a set of his own weapons. The alloy needles he used in his previous life did not suffer this kind of degradation; no matter how many times they were used, there was no worry of them becoming scrap.

However, finding someone skilled enough to forge a set of perfectly weighted needles was not easy. Zhang Yang was no longer short of money; what he lacked was a craftsman with that specific expertise...

First Update (To be continued) RQ