Chapter 296: Chapter 296: There’s Always Someone Better
In a quiet bedroom, Tang Zhenbang lay on the sofa while Yang Fei took his pulse by his side.
Only the two of them were in the room, with everyone else waiting outside in the courtyard.
After a few minutes, Yang Fei released Tang Zhenbang’s pulse and said, "You’ve offended someone in the past, haven’t you?"
Tang Zhenbang’s pupils shrank slightly as he looked at Yang Fei.
Yang Fei calmly met his gaze.
Tang Zhenbang sighed and nodded, "Yes, there was a mission where I accidentally got into a conflict with someone. He was dressed like a common rustic, and I didn’t take him seriously. However, I didn’t expect him to have Divine Skills. He almost cost me my life and, to punish me, he said he would make me suffer severe pain each year until my death."
As Tang Zhenbang recounted the events of that year, he was still palpably frightened and said, "I thought he was bluffing, but the pain started the following year. I initially thought it was an old injury flaring up, but after seeking medical advice to no avail, and with the pain returning every year at the same time, I realized that what he said was true."
Yang Fei nodded and said, "This person’s methods are indeed profound and unfathomable."
Tang Zhenbang’s expression changed as he asked urgently, "Can you cure it?"
Yang Fei thought for a moment and said, "I can cure it, but it will be a little troublesome."
Tang Zhenbang grasped at this last straw, "Brother Yang, you must save me. It’s not that I’m afraid of dying, it’s just that the pain is too unbearable when it comes."
Yang Fei nodded and said, "I know, I’ve been through similar experiences."
Tang Zhenbang was startled and asked in surprise, "You have the same problem?"
Yang Fei shook his head and said, "Something similar."
Tang Zhenbang had been subjected to the Demon Planting Technique, leaving behind a pure and tyrannical True Yuan in his body.
This True Yuan was incredibly tenacious, remaining in his body for over thirty years without dissipating.
The most fearsome thing was that this True Yuan would flare up at specific intervals, causing Tang Zhenbang to endure extreme pain during that time each year.
Such a Demon Planting Technique was nothing short of miraculous.
Yang Fei, who considered himself powerful enough to impress by planting a devil seed in Wang Hui, realized his own insignificance when he saw the Devil Seed Energy in Tang Zhenbang’s body.
This world truly is filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
"Where did you encounter this person?" Yang Fei asked.
"Qinling Mountains, a village in the north," Tang Zhenbang replied. "But that village is no longer there. Unable to bear the pain, I went back to look for that person, only to find that both he and the entire village had vanished. I’ve been secretly investigating for decades with no news."
He guessed what was on Yang Fei’s mind and said.
Yang Fei furrowed his brows slightly and fell silent.
Tang Zhenbang asked, "Little Brother Yang, can you truly cure my affliction?"
Yang Fei came back to his senses and chuckled lightly, "Why, don’t you believe me?"
Tang Zhenbang hurriedly shook his head, "It’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just... this pain has tormented me for half my life, I’ve nearly lost all hope."
Yang Fei didn’t rush to treat him and inquired, "Sister Qian married Brother Sun, and since Sun Weimin is so outstanding, why do you object? You even forbid anyone with the surname Sun from entering the Tang Family’s door?"
Seeing Yang Fei bring up this matter, Tang Zhenbang’s brows furrowed with displeasure, "That’s my personal family affair; you shouldn’t pry into it."
Yang Fei chuckled, "Oh, I see. Goodbye, then!"
Tang Zhenbang was dumbfounded.
Is this kid threatening me?
He had lived for over eighty years and had never been threatened by a junior like this. He was instantly enraged.
Yet as he saw Yang Fei turn to leave, Tang Zhenbang became afraid again.
The pain was just beginning. There was half a month of agony to endure, and if this young man really had a way to cure it, he might live a few more years in relative ease.
He absolutely hated this pain and didn’t want to carry it with him to the underworld even after death.
Just as Yang Fei was about to open the door to leave, Tang Zhenbang couldn’t hold back any longer and called out hastily, "I’ll talk, I’ll talk!"
Yang Fei turned to look at him.
It wasn’t that he was desperate to know the details, but he genuinely didn’t want to see Sun Weimin treated with such disdain by the Tangs.
"You’re aware of a certain period of time from the last century, aren’t you?" Tang Zhenbang began.
"Yes, I’ve heard about it."
"My father died wronged during that period, and at that time, it was Sun Weimin’s grandfather who was the person in charge. Therefore, our two families are sworn enemies, how could I ever allow my daughter to marry into the enemy’s family?" Tang Zhenbang said indignantly.
Yang Fei was stunned.
This matter really was fucking difficult to get involved in.
He had thought of taking the opportunity to treat Tang Zhenbang’s illness to try to ease the old man’s relations with Tang Qian’s family a bit.
Now that he heard him say this, he no longer wanted to interfere.
This was an old grudge, a generational enmity, and he couldn’t force someone to forego their resentment.
But that was the previous generation’s affair. Now that the next generation was united and even Sun Lei was already so grown-up, and with Tang Qian starting to return for family visits, presumably there was still a chance to resolve the two families’ grudges.
Nevertheless, he still felt like he should help if he could.
Yang Fei returned to sit by the sofa and said, "With your Tang family’s domineering and arrogant way of doing things, if Brother Sun hadn’t asked me to stay and treat you, I would have left already."
Tang Zhenbang’s mouth twitched, and he snorted.
He didn’t want to owe this favor, but the reality was in front of him, and he couldn’t help but not be tough-talking.
"I’m an outsider and it’s not my place to interfere with the grievances between your two families, but I know Brother Sun and Sister Qian are truly in love, and their child is already over nine years old," he said.
Tang Zhenbang huffed again without speaking.
Yang Fei said no more and continued, "Now I will start treating you and extract that True Yuan from your body."
Tang Zhenbang’s spirit lifted, and he looked at Yang Fei, asking, "Are you confident?"
Yang Fei thought for a moment and answered, "There shouldn’t be a big problem."
"Then I’ll have to trouble Little Brother Yang. After this, I, Tang Zhenbang, owe you a great debt of gratitude," he said.
Yang Fei chuckled.
The old guy only mentioned owing him a favor but didn’t say a word about his daughter and son-in-law.
Yang Fei began treating Tang Zhenbang.
He first sealed Tang Zhenbang’s major acupoints and then transferred his own pure True Yuan into Tang’s body to capture the domineering True Yuan left inside by a high-level practitioner.
The True Yuan seemed to sense something and fled swiftly.
Since Yang Fei had anticipated resistance, he sealed Tang Zhenbang’s major acupoints. This limited the range where the True Yuan could wander.
Still, it zigzagged wildly within Tang Zhenbang’s body, causing him to endure intense pain and cry out loudly.
"Dad, what’s wrong with you?" The Tang family asked anxiously from outside.
Some even tried pushing the door.
Seeing Yang Fei’s face flushed with the strain of capturing the source of his torment, Tang Zhenbang quickly bore the pain and said, "Don’t come in, Dr. Yang is treating me... I’m fine!"
Despite his words, the intense pain made him involuntarily continue to cry out in agony.
The rest of the Tang family waited anxiously outside, clueless about what was happening inside but not daring to disobey Tang Zhenbang’s commands.
After a few minutes, with a soft exhale from Yang Fei, the pure True Yuan was finally enveloped by the vigorous True Qi that Yang Fei had inserted into Tang Zhenbang’s body, and then was pulled out of him.
Yang Fei promptly absorbed this True Yuan into his own body.
However, as soon as it entered his Martial Meridian, the True Yuan began to rampage crazily like a fish in water, or like a dragon entering the sea, becoming exceedingly lively and overwhelmingly domineering. Yang Fei found himself barely able to suppress it with his own True Yuan.
"Such a domineering True Qi!"
Yang Fei was secretly startled.
After defeating his own master, the Fatty Taoist, he had considered himself an invincible existence under the heavens.
Since returning to Divine Continent Country, he had encountered numerous Martial Arts experts. The so-called National Guardian Level was merely at the Innate Realm, and he didn’t take them seriously at all.
In his heart, as long as he returned to his peak condition, even if not unbeatable under the heavens, he would still be among the rare powerful beings.
But today, seeing the Demon Planting Technique that had been inflicted on Tang Zhenbang, especially the True Yuan that had lingered in Tang’s body for decades without dissipating, he was astonished beyond measure.
Now that he had absorbed it into his Martial Meridian, and it had become so spirited that even he could not suppress it, he was utterly shocked.
The person who had carried out the Demon Planting Technique on Tang Zhenbang more than thirty years ago was undoubtedly a formidable powerhouse.
The vast Great Divine Continent truly had higher skies beyond the sky, people above people; he needed to recover his strength as soon as possible and continue to grow stronger.