Chapter 163
With a single wave of Qin Long’s hand, the Golden Needles, which had been fiery red moments before, turned chillingly cold. They froze the black droplets of blood into ice, which he then knocked into a trash can. With a final flick of his right wrist, all nine Golden Needles retracted into the bronze-colored bracelet.
Mu Daochun held his breath, hoping to learn some techniques from the sidelines, but he couldn’t comprehend any of it. Qin Long’s movements, while seemingly familiar, were intricate and complex with every step. Mu Daochun simply could not grasp them, and the Tang family understood even less.
Once Qin Long’s treatment concluded, Mu Daochun hurriedly showered him with praise. "Young Master Qin, your control of the Golden Needles is truly exquisite."
Although Mu Daochun had diligently studied the Golden Needles for decades, his skills were child’s play compared to Qin Long’s. He was genuinely filled with admiration.
"Elder Mu, he’s so young. How can he compare to you? There’s no need to be so polite," Wang Ming interjected, his words dripping with sarcasm for Qin Long.
Mu Daochun was taken aback for a moment before gritting his teeth and replying, "Acupuncture isn’t about age, and Young Master Qin’s technique is far superior to mine. I admire him, so naturally, I hold him in the highest respect. In our art, the one with greater ability is the master."
Hearing this, Wang Ming’s brow furrowed, his hatred for Qin Long deepening.
This damned cripple. I’ll get rid of him sooner or later! The thought of hiring someone to eliminate Qin Long had already taken root in Wang Ming’s mind. He used to think that Qin Long, a mere cripple, could never be his rival. Without Tang Xuewu, the man would likely starve on the streets. For this reason, Wang Ming had largely ignored him; hiring an assassin for such a worthless person would make him a laughingstock if word got out.
But now, Qin Long had gradually become a major threat. With him around, Wang Ming could never possess Tang Xuewu, let alone dream of taking the Tang family’s ancestral home. As long as this cripple was erased from the world, all his problems would be solved.
"Qin Long, when exactly is the old master going to wake up?" Tang Yuxiang was the first to jump forward, pointing at Qin Long as he demanded, "You haven’t killed Grandpa, have you?"
Following his lead, the rest of the Tang family turned to look at Qin Long with expressions of doubt. They had gambled everything on him.
PFFT!
At that moment, the old man spat a thick glob of phlegm directly onto Tang Yuxiang’s face and sat up on his own.
"Old Master!"
"Grandpa!"
"Dad!"
"Family Head!"
The crowd instantly surged forward.
Damn it! Wang Ming’s teeth itched with resentment. This stubborn old coot is still alive! Why couldn’t he just die? He could have bled from every orifice and died on the spot. Then Qin Long would have been finished. As long as Qin Long took the fall, all I had to do was fan the flames and spend a little money to seal his fate.
But none of that happened.
"The Family Head’s cardiac pressure has returned to normal!" one of the experts exclaimed with excitement, staring at the nearby data monitors. "He’s made a complete recovery! It’s a miracle!"
Wang Ming was seething internally. The other Tang family members simply looked at Qin Long with puzzlement, while Tang Yuehua’s expression was one of deep gratitude.
Qin Long gently wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and prepared to leave. Tang Yuxiang quickly straightened his clothes, attempting to approach the bed.
However, the Family Head spotted Qin Long first, and his expression instantly soured.
"Who let this cripple in?" he roared, pointing a finger at Qin Long. "Beat him and throw him out of here!"
"Family Head, if not for Young Master Qin’s intervention, you’d probably be dead by now!" one of the more principled experts said in a low voice.
"What? This...?" Hearing this, the Family Head looked utterly confused.
"Grandfather, it was A’Long who cured you with the Golden Needles," Tang Xuewu said, immediately stepping forward to gently wipe the sweat from Qin Long’s brow.
"How... How can that be?" The Family Head’s eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at the slightly weary Qin Long, then glanced around at the other Tang family members. "Medical Saint Mu Daochun! It must have been the Medical Saint who saved me! Right?"
Spotting Mu Daochun, the Family Head seemed to find his answer. But at his words, Mu Daochun looked deeply embarrassed. His needling had nearly killed the old man. If he hadn’t shifted the blame to Qin Long, his reputation would be in tatters by now.
"Family Head, this time, it was Young Master Qin who saved you," Mu Daochun said, waving his hands dismissively before looking at Qin Long with reverence.
A sinking feeling washed over the Family Head, and he froze on the spot. It was Qin Long who cured me? Could it be... that last time was him too? If that’s the case, isn’t he my great benefactor? Without him, I would have been long dead?
"Qin Long, I..." The Family Head intended to apologize, but the words wouldn’t come out.
"You don’t need to thank me. I did it for Xuewu, not for you," Qin Long stated calmly. "Just remember to treat her better from now on, and don’t jump to conclusions."
After speaking, he turned and walked out slowly, leaning on his crutch. There was no trace of arrogance in his demeanor, only a profound calm, as if the life-saving procedure had been a mere trifle.
"Grandfather, since you’re all right, I’ll take Qin Long home now," Tang Xuewu said, rushing to his side to carefully support him as they left.
"Don’t jump to conclusions. Treat Xuewu better."
The words echoed in the ward, leaving the members of the Tang family blushing with shame.
「The Tang Family Courtyard」
Qin Long, leaning on his crutch, sat down in a soft chair as Tang Xuewu came and sat opposite him.
"Qin Long, thank you for saving Grandfather!" Tang Xuewu had been thanking him nonstop ever since they got home. Deeply moved, she began to gently massage his right leg.
Qin Long looked at her with a calm expression. Their eyes met, and a blush crept up Tang Xuewu’s lovely face, forcing her to look away.
"I, Qin Long, with a sword in hand, can slay the armies of an enemy nation. With the Golden Needles, I can revive the dying and regrow flesh on bone. I have lived my life never explaining myself to others, never caring for their opinions! Except for you, Xuewu. With you, I cannot bear to, nor do I dare. Xuewu, will you marry me?"
His tone was incredibly firm, with no hint of hesitation.
Hearing this, Tang Xuewu was stunned, her beautiful face a mask of disbelief. Is this fool proposing to me? It’s so... domineering and unique...
Summoning her courage, Tang Xuewu met his intense gaze.
"A’Long, I..." her voice was a soft whisper.
Qin Long looked at the stunning beauty before him. Her skin was fairer than frost and snow, and her eyes gazed at him with an affection that made one want to pluck her like a precious flower. They were a young man and woman, like dry tinder and a burning flame, and a new, powerful feeling now surged between them.
Qin Long felt a fire of desire surging through him. With a single motion, he pulled Tang Xuewu into his embrace. Feeling the rapid thumping of her heart against his chest, his body felt like a beast roaring to be unleashed.
In that instant, Qin Long, a man who had faced death countless times, was overcome with the desire to possess the woman before him. He had faced down forty-nine martial artists from an enemy nation by himself, taking the head of their commander from within an army of thousands. Yet, when it came to matters of the heart, he was completely ignorant. At this moment, all he felt was an overwhelming desire to pull the beauty before him into a deep embrace.