Chapter 19: Rescuing Tang Qiong

Tang Qiong, still unconscious, had already been turned over, lying face-down on the stretcher. The four women in green hesitated, looking toward Tang Zhenguo for instruction.

No one dared touch Tang Qiong’s clothing without his command.

“If I’m not mistaken, she fought someone last night and was gravely injured, which caused her to lose consciousness,” Ye Tianci spoke at last.

Tang Zhenguo narrowed his eyes in surprise. “That’s correct. How could you tell?”

Ye Tianci replied coolly, “It seems she was wounded badly, but in fact, if my guess is right, there should be five red welts on her back.”

“That is the true culprit behind her prolonged coma.”

Now Tang Zhenguo finally gestured to proceed.

The four women in green gently lifted Tang Qiong’s clothing from her back.

Bit by bit, the pale smoothness of Tang Qiong’s back was revealed—and with it, the first red welt.

Then the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth.

No more, no less: five pea-sized red welts, scattered across her snow-white back, a jarring contrast to her flawless skin.

The sight was deeply unsettling.

It was exactly as Ye Tianci had described.

Tang Zhenguo’s eyes widened in astonishment, his gaze toward Ye Tianci subtly changing.

“Is the chicken blood and bamboo skewer I asked for ready?” Ye Tianci asked.

“It’s ready!”

Two of the women brought a bowl of fresh chicken blood and a sharpened bamboo skewer.

Ye Tianci soaked the skewer in the blood, then took a talisman from his pocket.

He didn’t light it; with a simple flick of his wrist, the talisman burst into blue flame.

The fire was vivid and conspicuous.

The talisman burned quickly to ash, which Ye Tianci stirred into the chicken blood. The mixture thickened and took on a faint, eerie glow.

He used the blood-soaked skewer to pierce each of the five red welts in turn.

Almost immediately, the welts began to change.

They swelled.

They bulged.

The skin around them undulated, as if something alive writhed beneath the surface.

“What…what’s happening?” one of the women exclaimed in horror. “Is there something under her skin? How terrifying!”

With a sharp pop, the first welt swelled to the size of a grape and burst.

Foul, viscous pus mixed with black blood oozed out, staining Tang Qiong’s alabaster back.

Then the second, the third, and so on.

All five welts swelled and burst, expelling black blood and pus—and from each emerged a black worm!

The worms were slightly larger than houseflies and thoroughly repulsive.

Everyone watching, including Tang Zhenguo and the women, felt their scalps crawl.

The five worms, as if possessing intelligence, instantly sensed danger upon emerging and writhed frantically, trying to burrow back into Tang Qiong’s body.

Ye Tianci flicked his fingers, sending five invisible streams of energy that swept the worms off Tang Qiong’s back and into the bowl of chicken blood.

A sharp, piercing screech—like foam grating against glass—filled the air, making everyone’s skin crawl.

Thankfully, it lasted only two seconds before the strange worms dissolved in the chicken blood.

Ye Tianci didn’t stop there. He carefully cleaned the wounds on Tang Qiong’s back, squeezing out every trace of pus and blood, excising necrotic flesh, and bandaging each wound meticulously.

Watching his focused demeanor and serious gaze, Tang Zhenguo nodded slowly.

When Tang Qiong’s wounds were all bandaged, Ye Tianci calmly dressed her, covering her pale back.

Throughout, his eyes never wavered, as if the woman before him was not a beauty, but a mere ordinary patient.

“Your granddaughter wasn’t simply injured—she was poisoned by a Gu curse from the southern tribes, known as the ‘Five-Worm Soul-Stealing Gu.’ Anyone afflicted with this will remain unconscious no matter how many medicines they take.

“Yang Ming only understood the surface, not the cause. Using decoctions was adding fuel to the fire.

“Fortunately, your granddaughter has practiced martial arts since childhood and has a robust constitution, or she wouldn’t have survived the ordeal just now.”

Ye Tianci spoke quietly.

Tang Zhenguo was full of wonder. “You could even tell she practiced martial arts from a young age? Young sir, you truly are a divine doctor!”

“May I ask your name? I, Tang Zhenguo, will see that you are richly rewarded!”

Ye Tianci smiled lightly. “A healer saves without thought of reward. It was a small matter; think nothing of it.”

With that, he headed straight for the door, limping as he walked.

Tang Zhenguo hurried after him. “Young sir, wait!”

Tang Ying was sulking in the corridor when he suddenly saw Ye Tianci heading out, followed by his grandfather.

Tang Ying’s brows shot up as he shouted, “I knew you couldn’t save my sister! Trying to run? Lie down for me!”

He stomped the ground and leaped like a tiger descending the mountain, hurling himself at Ye Tianci.

His fist, whistling through the air, aimed straight for Ye Tianci’s shoulder.

“Tang Ying! Do not be reckless!” Tang Zhenguo yelled.

But it was too late. Tang Ying’s fist crashed toward Ye Tianci.

“It’s over. The young sir will be hurt, and my Tang family will have to pay compensation again,” Tang Zhenguo sighed, shaking his head.

He knew Tang Ying’s strength. The boy had practiced martial arts since childhood. Though not as skilled as Tang Qiong, he was still a formidable fighter. Against someone as ordinary as Ye Tianci, Tang Ying could take on ten.

Yet when the fist came barreling in, Ye Tianci’s expression remained calm. Unhurried, he reached out a hand.

With a sharp crack, Tang Ying’s fist, full of force, was effortlessly caught by Ye Tianci.

It was as if a speeding train had slammed into an immovable mountain.

All momentum ceased.

Tang Ying tried to wrench his fist free, his face turning red with effort, but he couldn’t budge it an inch.

“Let go of me!” Tang Ying roared.

Ye Tianci’s expression didn’t change. He pressed down lightly.

Tang Ying immediately grimaced in pain, his features contorted, but he refused to cry out.

His body arched back, and then, unable to resist, he was forced to his knees.

With a thud, both knees hit the floor.

Seeing this, Tang Zhenguo was dumbfounded. He’d never expected that this unassuming young man would possess such formidable skill.

His grandson Tang Ying was utterly no match for him!

“You dare make me kneel? You must be tired of living!” Tang Ying snarled, gritting his teeth. “Let me go!”

Tang Zhenguo was about to intervene when he suddenly caught sight of a black-and-white ring on Ye Tianci’s finger.

His eyes widened in shock, his expression utterly transformed.

“Young sir, ‘The moon rises over the four seas,’” Tang Zhenguo recited cryptically, making a subtle gesture.

Ye Tianci’s brow lifted slightly. “‘Eight generals guard Heaven’s Gate,’” he replied, forming a secret hand sign with his left hand.

“The Five Thunders of Heaven’s Gate!”

“The Heaven’s Gate Master’s ring!”

“You…”

Tang Zhenguo gasped, staring at Ye Tianci in awe. Then he took a step forward and dropped to one knee.

With a heavy thud, the man who could shake the whole of Shu City with a single stomp now knelt respectfully before Ye Tianci.

“Tang Zhenguo, is your Tang clan one of the Eight Generals of Heaven’s Gate?” Ye Tianci asked coolly.

Tang Zhenguo gazed solemnly at Ye Tianci. “The Tang family of Shu City, one of the Eight Generals of Heaven’s Gate. I, Tang Zhenguo, pay my respects to the Master of the Gate!”