CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 53 UNMISTAKABLE FLAVOR

The scene of an old man and a young man smoking by the window in the corridor seemed somewhat amusing, like two seasoned smokers hiding together to enjoy the pleasure of smoking.

Looking out the window, Zhang Xingzhou took a puff and coughed softly, "I’ve seen all there is to see in my life, I’m not afraid of death."

Yang Chen took a deep breath and said calmly, "Are you afraid of the unrest after death?"

Zhang Xingzhou’s complexion changed but quickly recovered, smiling faintly, "And why would you say that, young man?"

"You know." Yang Chen gazed out the window, recalling the thrilling journey of a sect’s power in the past.

"I truly don’t understand!" Zhang Xingzhou’s smile faded, staring at Yang Chen seriously. Though he seemed calm, the slight tremor of the hand holding the cigarette betrayed him.

Yang Chen sighed, "You didn’t have tuberculosis back then, did you? Perhaps not. You may not have gone down there for many years, but the smell on you doesn’t dissipate, and the faint corpse stench in your breath cannot be hidden!"

Zhang Xingzhou’s face changed dramatically.

Back then, he did rely on his skills to dig wealth from underground and create his current status. But because of that, he fell ill, each time escaping death’s door. After several turns, he could no longer withstand the pressure, so he chose to wash his hands of the affair.

Despite this, he often had nightmares, dreaming of being dragged back underground by the ancients he disturbed.

Moreover, his ailments, although scientifically explainable with corresponding symptoms, never got cured. He suspected early on that it was related to what he did back then.

"How...how do you know?" Zhang Xingzhou’s face showed shock and his expression became nervous. This was something he could never forget, a guilt hard to erase from his life. Good deeds and benevolence are easy to pursue, but wrongs are difficult to mend!

So, under his knees, only three of his five sons remain, all believing this is retribution.

He eats vegetarian and chants prayers, burns incense daily, just to forget that period of his life.

If Yang Chen hadn’t mentioned it, he would never recall the past in his lifetime.

However, one word from Yang Chen shattered the psychological wall he built.

Yang Chen finished his last puff, threw it into the trash, and said, "I happened to enter a large tomb during a mission before!"

"Then..." Zhang Xingzhou, always sharp and calm, lost his composure before a young man, thoughts in disarray.

"But don’t worry, I can treat your illness!" Yang Chen said lightly.

Elder Zhang lifted his head suddenly, looking at Yang Chen in surprise.

Yang Chen smiled slightly, "Elder Zhang, I could have kept all this to myself without telling you, even avoiding potential future troubles. But I said it anyway, to honestly tell you that I especially believe in the heavens’ path: good and evil have their retributions. You did something that diminished yin virtue, you must compensate for it, otherwise, it will not be good for your descendants."

Zhang Xingzhou thought of his son Zhang Qishan, and the two premature grandsons, the sons who were killed young, his wife whose face showed terror before her death, and his incompetent grandson Zhang Shaoting.

All of it seemed like a curse, hard for him to escape, a heavy stone always on his heart.

"What should I do?" Zhang Xingzhou hurriedly asked.

Yang Chen shook his head with a smile, "Elder, you shouldn’t be asking me this."

Zhang Xingzhou fell into deep thought.

After a long while, Zhang Xingzhou bowed deeply to Yang Chen.

Yang Chen quickly supported the elder, not allowing him to bow.

Zhang Xingzhou said, "Young man, no matter what, thank you!"

Yang Chen nodded, "Let’s go Elder, I’ll give you treatment."

When they returned, they saw Wei Xueqing and Zhang Qishan in a heated argument, exchanging words vigorously.

Qin Muyun blinked in surprise at the two.

For the first time, he saw Wei Xueqing’s strong and sharp side, words as sharp as knives, precise and relentless.

Zhang Qishan appeared more stable, facing Wei Xueqing’s aggression without moving, standing firm on his principles.

Zhang Xingzhou looked at Wei Xueqing, grinning at Wei Qingzhong, "Xiaowei, your daughter is excellent, truly a heroine. She’s far better than my grandson!"

Wei Qingzhong hastily said, "That’s because Shaoting hasn’t started exerting himself. He has listened to your teachings since young, his future achievements certainly won’t be low."

Though he said this, he was very pleased inside. After all, he believed his daughter was the most outstanding, unmatched by anyone.

Seeing Zhang Xingzhou and Yang Chen return, Zhang Qishan said, "Xueqing, let’s schedule another time to talk, I’m quite interested in this project but treating the Elder comes first now."

Wei Xueqing nodded, she was very satisfied with reaching this point today. After all, she previously couldn’t even meet Zhang Qishan.

Wei Qingzhong said to Zhang Xingzhou, "Elder, I have a rest room inside, let’s go there."

Zhang Xingzhou nodded, looking at Yang Chen.

Yang Chen said, "Let me check your leg first."

Without a word, Zhang Xingzhou bent over to lift his trouser leg for Yang Chen to see.

Once the trouser leg was lifted, the blood vessels on Zhang Xingzhou’s leg bulged like thick worms tangled together, looking extremely terrifying.

Wei Xueqing was startled, covering her mouth.

Yang Chen frowned, "I need some silver needles and a scraping stone, made of horn."

"Alright! I’ll arrange it immediately!" Zhang Qishan nodded and turned to leave.

"Let’s go inside." Yang Chen said to Zhang Xingzhou.

Zhang Xingzhou nodded, following Wei Qingzhong to the rest room.

Wei Xueqing wanted to follow but was stopped by Yang Chen, "You shouldn’t go in."

"Why?" Wei Xueqing raised her eyebrows slightly, staring at Yang Chen.

Yang Chen said to Wei Xueqing, "Because it’s inconvenient!"

Wei Xueqing thought, realizing that Yang Chen might need to use silver needles, requiring clothes to be removed, indeed making it inconvenient for her to enter.

"Alright, be quick, I have other work!" Wei Xueqing didn’t realize her thinking had aligned with Yang Chen’s. She didn’t think of wasting time and returning to work immediately, but waited there for them to finish the treatment.

Yang Chen nodded, "I’ll be fast!"

After saying that, Yang Chen turned and went inside.

Inside, Yang Chen said to Zhang Xingzhou, "Elder, take off your clothes. Chairman, do you have any strong liquor here? The higher the alcohol content the better."

"I have! I still have a bottle of fine white liquor!" Wei Qingzhong said.

Yang Chen shook his head, "I just need strong liquor."

Wei Qingzhong thought for a moment, "I still have half a jin of raw liquor."

"That’ll do!" Yang Chen nodded.