Chapter 82: An Astronomical Consultation Fee

"You..." Bai Jingtao's face was livid with rage, but he was helpless.

"Silence!"

Bai Chongshan barked out the command. He knew this was not the time for petty arguments. Turning to Qin Feng, he asked in a low, grave voice, "And if my father's illness is beyond your skills?"

"Beyond my skills?" Qin Feng seemed to have heard a joke, an arrogant tilt curling his lips. "In this world, there is no illness that I, Qin Feng, cannot cure."

Oddly enough, although this was the thought on everyone's mind, when they met Qin Feng's confident gaze, none of them could muster the slightest doubt.

Bai Chongshan looked deeply at Qin Feng, then clenched his teeth and said, "Very well! I accept your terms!"

"Excellent. The master of the Bai family truly is decisive."

A faint smile played at Qin Feng’s lips, his eyes shining with self-assured light. "Now, allow me to examine the old master's condition."

With those words, Qin Feng rose and strode directly toward the room Bai Chongshan had indicated.

The Bai family exchanged uneasy glances. Though they had their doubts, things had come to this point—they could only follow Qin Feng.

Inside the room, the old master of the Bai family lay on his bed, his face ghostly pale, breath shallow, as if he might slip away any moment.

Qin Feng approached the bedside, studied the old man's complexion, then pressed his fingers to the pulse, closing his eyes and focusing intently.

After a moment, he opened his eyes, a flash of comprehension passing through them.

He had already made his assessment. Though the poison was troublesome, it was not beyond remedy.

"Master Bai, your father has been poisoned with a deadly toxin from the southern tribes—known as the 'Heart-devouring Gu.'"

"This poison is vicious. When it attacks, the victim feels as if thousands of ants are gnawing at their heart—intolerable agony. Worse still, it gradually erodes the mind, reducing its victims to imbecility," Qin Feng explained, his tone grave.

Bai Chongshan's expression changed drastically; he had never imagined his father was suffering from such a sinister poison.

Qin Feng paid no heed to the others' reactions. Instead, he turned to Elder Yun.

"Elder Yun, may I borrow your silver needles?"

Elder Yun was momentarily taken aback, then nodded, retrieving a set of exquisite silver needles from his medical kit and handing them to Qin Feng.

Though he had previously looked down on, even disliked, this young man, as a physician, he could not help but feel a glimmer of hope. After all, he had failed even to diagnose the old master's symptoms.

In truth, it was not Elder Yun's fault. Had he suspected poisoning from the start, he might have noticed clues. But from the very beginning, he had assumed it was a stubborn illness, not poison.

Qin Feng accepted the silver needles, deftly unrolling the cloth pouch and selecting several needles of varying lengths. He passed them through a candle flame to sterilize them.

The room was silent, everyone fixated on him.

Qin Feng drew a deep breath and stepped to the old master's side, signaling for the others to step back—lest they interfere with his treatment.

He gently rolled up the old man's sleeve, exposing a thin, withered arm, and began the acupuncture.

The first needle pierced the "Inner Pass" point on the old man's wrist with flawless precision. This point was chosen to stabilize the heart and prevent any mishap during the detoxification.

As needle after needle found its mark, the old master's pallor eased slightly, his breathing grew steadier.

When the final needle was in place, the old master suddenly began to cough violently. With each wrenching cough, a mass of blackened blood and phlegm surged from his throat, trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Qin Feng quickly wiped the old man’s lips with a damp towel.

Only after all was done did he let out a long breath and turn to the others.

"It is finished," Qin Feng announced as he packed his things. "Take the old master to the hospital."

Bai Chongshan was momentarily stunned, uncertain if he had misheard.

"To...to the hospital?"

"Of course," Qin Feng replied absently as he gathered the needles. "What did you expect? To keep him here and celebrate the New Year?"

Bai Chongshan was left speechless, his face flushing crimson. He had seen countless storms in his life, yet now...

"Mr. Qin, surely you jest," Elder Yun tried to smooth things over, though his voice betrayed a hint of uncertainty. "Is it...is it truly cured?"

"Naturally." Qin Feng shot him a sidelong glance, a trace of mockery in his eyes. "Why, Elder Yun, do you wish to stick in a few more needles yourself?"

Elder Yun, unnerved by Qin Feng's gaze, managed an awkward smile and said nothing more.

"But..." Bai Chongshan tried to protest, but Qin Feng impatiently cut him off.

"No more 'buts.' If you delay any longer, the old master really will be celebrating New Year here!"

At last, the Bai family snapped out of their daze and hurriedly lifted the old master onto a stretcher, rushing him to the hospital.

Qin Feng followed at a leisurely pace, a playful smile on his lips.

This Bai family—how very entertaining.

...

At the hospital, after a thorough examination, all the old master's vitals had returned to normal.

"A miracle! This is nothing short of a miracle!" The attending physician stammered with excitement as he scanned the reports. "The old master was clearly..."

Suddenly realizing he had said too much, he quickly fell silent.

"Was clearly what?" Bai Chongshan pressed.

"Nothing, nothing!" The doctor wiped sweat from his brow. "I mean, the old master's recovery is remarkable—truly wonderful!"

Bai Chongshan eyed him suspiciously, but let the matter drop.

He approached Qin Feng and bowed deeply.

"Mr. Qin, you have my deepest gratitude! The Bai family will never forget your immense kindness!"

"It was nothing, not even worth mentioning," Qin Feng replied coolly. "There's no need for such formality, Master Bai."

"Mr. Qin, you saved my father's life. You are the Bai family's benefactor! Should you ever need anything from us, simply ask. I, Bai Chongshan, would go through fire and water for you without hesitation!" Bai Chongshan declared with heartfelt sincerity.

Qin Feng regarded him with a faint, ambiguous smile, saying nothing.

Under that gaze, Bai Chongshan felt a chill trickle down his back, cold sweat beading on his brow.

"Mr. Qin..."

"Master Bai," Qin Feng interrupted, "there's no need for such courtesy. Truthfully, I only came because I am friends with Ruoxi. I came here for her sake."

"You know Ruoxi?" Bai Chongshan's eyes lit up, his smile broadening.

"Ha! What a family misunderstanding! If I’d known you and Ruoxi were acquainted, I..."

"Enough," Qin Feng interrupted with a wave of his hand, growing impatient. Bai Chongshan was a shrewd man—once he learned of Qin Feng's connection to Bai Ruoxi, his attitude changed instantly, faster than turning the pages of a book.