Chapter 83: She Said Thank You to Me
In Chu Tianxiang's room, both Chu Qianqian and Chu Yan came forward, asking cheerfully about the old man's condition. Zhou Fan, however, took out his phone, snapped a photo of the insect on the floor, and sent it off.
"Younger Brother Zhou, you're absolutely incredible! Not only can you control needles with your energy, but you can even perform the Nine Celestial Needles to summon a Thunder Tribulation and punish that Gu Insect. It would be no exaggeration to call you a Grandmaster of this generation!"
Divine Doctor Ouyang's admiration for Zhou Fan had reached its absolute peak. His eyes were filled with nothing but awe for the young man. If Zhou Fan hadn't refused to take him as a disciple, he would have definitely dropped to his knees again to beg.
"Brother Ouyang, you flatter me," Zhou Fan said with a humble smile. "This was my first time performing the complete Nine Celestial Needles. I almost lost control at the very end!" He and Divine Doctor Ouyang walked out of the room and looked up at the sky together.
The dark cloud that had been lingering over the Chu Family estate, refusing to disperse, had finally vanished without a trace.
"Younger Brother Zhou, that invisible barrier that blocked the lightning from striking..."
"You couldn't see it? To me, it was a dark cloud shrouding the entire Chu Family estate. I noticed it the first time I came, but I was injured back then and didn't have the strength to disperse it," Zhou Fan said, lost in thought. 'If I'm not mistaken, it must be some kind of Gu-technique from the Witch Race.'
"The Witch Race? So it was them. They haven't been seen in a hundred years. I can't believe they've returned!" At the mention of the Witch Race, Divine Doctor Ouyang's expression froze, turning unprecedentedly grim. Seeing Zhou Fan's confusion, he explained with a wry smile.
"I'm not sure how long the Witch Race has been around. All I know is that everyone in their clan—man, woman, old, or young—can use Witchcraft. However, their living conditions are apparently quite poor, so they've always been looking to change their circumstances."
"A hundred years ago, a genius emerged from the Witch Race—a true prodigy. By the age of fifteen or sixteen, he had already achieved mastery in Witchcraft. The Martial Arts Realm on our side was powerless against him, so they had to band together and launch an all-out counterattack."
"In that battle, many masters from our Martial Arts Realm perished. After paying a terrible price, we finally managed to drive them back and kill that young prodigy."
"Of course, this is all what my master told me. He himself participated in that battle back in the day."
Divine Doctor Ouyang's face showed a mix of longing, hatred, and a profound sense of nostalgia—though what he was reminiscing about was anyone's guess, seeing as he hadn't even been there.
"The Martial Arts Realm? Why don't medical practitioners like us deal with this kind of Witchcraft?" Zhou Fan was confused. It was the first time he had ever heard of the Martial Arts Realm. 'To my mind, Witchcraft and the medical arts should be opposing forces. Since they're using Witchcraft, we should be the ones to counter with our medical skills!'
"Younger Brother Zhou, you don't understand. The Martial Arts Realm and the world of medicine have never been truly separate, especially when it comes to acupuncture. The Martial Arts Realm is just a bunch of muscle-headed brutes who only know how to fight. Don't pay them any mind. All they do is train their bodies; they don't know the first thing about medicine. They're nothing like us in the medical field, where practically everyone practices martial arts!"
Divine Doctor Ouyang's posturing made Zhou Fan want to slap him. But he could tell the old man seemed to have some bad blood with the Martial Arts Realm; otherwise, he wouldn't be so openly resentful.
"Then, Brother Ouyang, why don't you practice some martial arts for self-defense?"
"Hmph! I couldn't be bothered. You may think I don't know martial arts, but an average person would be no match for me. After all, if I just prick one of their acupoints with a silver needle, they'll be down for the count!"
Zhou Fan had to agree on this point. Someone skilled in acupuncture could indeed be a master assassin, capable of killing without a soul ever knowing.
"Xiaofan, Chu Peiyang and Song Qing refuse to say a word. Grandpa is asking what you want to do," Chu Qianqian said. She had been standing behind them for a little while, waiting for a pause in their conversation to speak up.
"Brother Ouyang, how about I leave this opportunity to you?" Zhou Fan said, turning to Divine Doctor Ouyang with a smile.
"Oh? Trying to test me, are you, Younger Brother Zhou? Fine! I'll let you see just how terrifying I can be!" After saying his piece, Divine Doctor Ouyang couldn't help but roar with laughter.
"Thank you for today." Just as Zhou Fan was about to follow, Chu Qianqian brushed past him, her quiet words drifting to his ears.
Zhou Fan froze for a moment. He watched Chu Qianqian's beautiful retreating figure, then glanced up at the sky as if he'd thought of something. Shaking his head, he gave a self-deprecating smile, lit a cigarette, and went inside.
"Honey, what were you just talking about with my aunt?"
Zhou Fan had barely sat down when Chu Yan sidled up to him. Her hand snaked around to his waist and gave it a subtle, firm pinch.
"We didn't say anything! She just said thank you!" Zhou Fan explained hastily. Inwardly, though, a storm was brewing. 'Damn it! Good thing I really didn't say anything. A woman's intuition is terrifying!'
Aaargh...
Zhou Fan's scream was silent, but Chu Peiyang's rang out clearly for everyone to hear.