Volume One, Chapter 34: Why Am I So Unlucky

Su Chenghu had no idea how much influence the man before him held on the international stage, nor did he realize how ruthless a seemingly ordinary young man could be. Acting as the executor of family law—such authority in ancient times was reserved for those closest, otherwise it would lack legitimacy and propriety. Yet, when it came to Jiang Chen, things were different; even if he took action without prior approval, no one would challenge his right.

“Su Chenghu, right? I can’t stand people chattering in front of me. I’m here to save someone, so keep your mouth shut!” Jiang Chen strode to the old master Su Zhan’s bedside.

The old master’s breath was weak, more out than in. Already unconscious, his condition was deteriorating rapidly, barely clinging to life.

Su Chenghu watched in silence. Despite the searing pain in his legs, he had not forgotten his goal: he had to witness the old master’s last breath with his own eyes before he could rest easy.

From his perspective, Jiang Chen’s efforts were all in vain. This Eric fellow might have been a disappointment, but the poison used was crafted from the finest snake venoms, blended from eight deadly toxins. Even the tiniest morsel would be fatal; he had tested it before.

Turning back, Jiang Chen saw Su Chenghu’s smug expression, now fully exposed and unrestrained.

“Su Chenghu, you’ve lived so many years and it’s all gone to waste. Do you really think your plan has succeeded? Or do you believe that poison is impossible to cure?”

Su Chenghu ignored Jiang Chen’s words, raising his chin with defiant hauteur.

Jiang Chen opened his palm, a line of golden needles laid out across his hand.

Traditional Chinese medicine values observation, listening, inquiry, and pulse-taking. The old master’s uremia was currently not the main threat—the snake venom was paramount.

Back when he and his second master, the physician Ghost Dao Zhongchun, traveled from village to village, they endured hardship but found joy in healing. Master Zhongchun had taught him: “There are times and destinies; you may choose not to save, but you must never stand idly by before death.” Those words stayed with him always. A healer is not a fool; some lives should be saved, others not.

Old Master Su Zhan was once a soldier; in both emotion and reason, Jiang Chen could not let him die. Yet he could not understand why Su Chenglong remained silent, merely watching Su Chenghu’s actions, and never intervening during the treatment. Even with his father’s life at stake, he showed no urgency to rescue him, nor any visible anger. It all felt like a performance.

Jiang Chen dismissed further speculation. What happened in other families was none of his concern. If not for Su Yike, even if they committed atrocities, it would be irrelevant to him.

Collecting his thoughts, he raised three golden needles and precisely placed them on the old master’s forehead.

“Golden Needles to Steady the Soul!”

These three needles were meant to anchor Su Zhan’s spirit, preventing him from lapsing into a vegetative state after the ordeal.

With a flick of his wrist, he punctured the acupoints. Su Yike momentarily forgot her grief. During her studies abroad, she had seen skilled acupuncturists, but none who could so casually strike the acupoints with a single toss.

In one breath, Jiang Chen wielded his needles mid-air—one hundred and eight golden needles rained down, covering the old master’s entire body.

The art of golden needle acupuncture wasn’t particularly hard to master; with enough perseverance, one could perfect it after eighty years. Yet the true challenge lay in medical talent.

Once, Jiang Chen had used three golden needles to suspend thirty lives during a mudslide disaster. Now, deploying one hundred and eight needles simultaneously was to ensure no adverse effects.

The results soon became evident. The purple hue on Su Zhan’s face faded, replaced by a vivid flush of color—so obvious it could be seen with the naked eye.

Su Yike cried out, “What… what’s happening?”

Even a layperson could now see Jiang Chen’s medical skill was not exaggerated.

Upon close observation, Jiang Chen found the snake venom spreading rapidly. Even if rushed to a hospital now, surgery could not neutralize such a potent blend of toxins.

In his mind, he formulated several plans; time was tight and the task urgent, so he quickly settled on a rough outline.

“Yike, bring me a cup.”

At Jiang Chen’s instruction, Su Yike handed him a sizable cup from the table.

Jiang Chen pressed Su Zhan’s arm, made a small incision, and blood began to flow slowly from the wound.

At first, the blood was red; but within a few breaths, it turned a dark, blackish hue.

Su Zhan, lying in bed, coughed several times, clearly on the verge of waking.

Jiang Chen exhaled lightly. He had performed a minor operation, but it was far from simple. Just now, he had used spiritual energy to separate the toxins from Su Zhan’s bloodstream, saving the old master.

After a brief moment of shock, Su Chenghu was overwhelmed with disbelief. “Impossible! This is impossible! That snake venom took three lives in my experiments—none survived. How did you save him? Who are you?”

“I’m your elder, that’s who.” Jiang Chen spat. “What are you, anyway? You ask me questions? You haven’t seen half of what I can do. Shall I put on a show for you?”

Su Chenghu knew his plan had utterly failed. He grabbed a nearby chair and hurled it at Eric in a fit of rage.

Just then, Eric, aided by the chair, broke free from the oppressive force Jiang Chen had placed upon him.

With a casual wave, Jiang Chen sent a golden needle flying into Eric’s body at lightning speed.

Su Yike, about to chase after him, was stopped by Jiang Chen. “He’ll collapse soon enough. Don’t worry about it.”

Seeing that most of the toxins had been expelled, Jiang Chen retrieved all the golden needles.

Su Chenghu slumped in despair against the wall, unable to fathom his bad luck—running into this man today. Not only was his martial prowess unmatched, but even his medical skills were beyond comparison.

“So be it, so be it. Such is fate, such is fate. Perhaps I am simply not destined for wealth and fortune.” To Jiang Chen, Su Chenghu’s self-pity was no different from a fool’s ramblings.

“Uncle, you should explain yourself now, lest he ends up in prison thinking his failure was due to my arrival.” Jiang Chen’s words stunned everyone in the room except Su Chenglong.

Su Yike, confused, asked, “Dad, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

Su Chenghu sensed something amiss. Though his elder brother appeared gentle and reserved, as the eldest son who had ventured out for many years, his temperament and methods were formidable. His passive demeanor today was out of character.

Seeing the others puzzled, Jiang Chen explained, “Uncle, if my guess is correct, all of this was a scheme you and the old master planned together, wasn’t it?”

After a long silence, Su Chenglong finally dropped the act. “Truly, a hero emerges from youth. I never expected you to spot the truth so quickly after arriving.”