In the morning, Jiang Feng and Nangong Qingcheng stayed in the hospital, accompanying Nangong Honghu as he finished his nutrient infusion.
Nangong Honghu didn't wake up until after nine in the morning.
The first thing he did upon waking was to open his eyes and see Jiang Feng, thinking he might be hallucinating.
It wasn't until Nangong Qingcheng personally explained to him that he realized it wasn't a dream—Jiang Feng had truly returned, and no white-haired elder had to send off a black-haired youth!
"Xiao Feng, it's so good you're back! So good to have you back!!"
Nangong Honghu, ignoring his frailty, forced himself to sit up and grasped Jiang Feng's hand, consistently inquiring about his wellbeing.
The way he ignored the whole family, with only Jiang Feng in his eyes, made Nangong Jinming's family extremely jealous, and the three couldn't stay in the ward, so they went out for some fresh air.
Taking advantage of his conversation while holding the old man's hand, Jiang Feng quietly infused a strand of Devouring Sky Demon Qi into his body, in order to restore the old man's physique to the maximum extent, enabling him to endure the surgery.
...
North City Bridge Village, a simple little fishing village along the coast of North City.
Due to its distant location from the city, the village still retains its impoverished and backward primitive appearance, with only a few dozens of residents, most making a living by fishing.
At ten o'clock, a rare Hummer H2 drove swiftly along the muddy village road, speeding into the interior of Qiao Yi Village, attracting a lot of attention from the simple fishermen.
At the end of Qiao Yi Village, there was a very special small wooden cabin.
The wooden cabin was built by the river, with a wooden bridge extending from the entrance into the middle of the river, where an old man sat, barefoot, wearing cloth clothes and a straw hat, fishing.
The Hummer H2 stopped dozens of meters from the cabin, the car door opened, and Shi Guanlin personally led Shi Lang out.
Glancing in the direction of the old man, Shi Guanlin instructed his son to carry two boxes of cigarettes and liquor, and they walked toward the old man.
It wasn't any expensive cigarettes or liquor, but a Binhai specialty from the 1960s, a brand now long gone from the city, which Shi Guanlin's subordinates had searched many places and finally acquired from an old dock worker.
He knew that the fishing old man was not accustomed to fine foods, but rather enjoyed these simple items.
Following the wooden bridge, Shi Guanlin and his son Shi Lang stood three meters behind the fishing old man and said with a smile, "Elder Qiu, I brought Lang'er to see you."
"Encountering difficulties again?" the old man asked indifferently, without turning around, focused only on his fishing hook.
"Uh..." Shi Guanlin was somewhat embarrassed. It was said that one doesn't visit a temple without reason, and obviously, the old man knew the purpose of his visit.
Counting, it had been a full ten years since the old man last helped him.
In these ten years, the old man had lived a secluded life in Bridge Village and had told Shi Guanlin not to come looking for him unless absolutely necessary.
"There's a matter this time, I beg Elder Qiu to lend a helping hand again." Shi Guanlin spoke directly, with a humble tone.
"What is it? Related to the east?" The old man, facing away from Shi Guanlin, knew that Shi Guanlin coming to him personally meant he was facing a significant crisis, so he didn't turn him away.
"No, it's from the south."
"The south?" The old man was taken aback for a moment, then said casually, "Has Chu Renxiong taken on new disciples again?"
"It's not that, Elder, you might not know, but Chu Renxiong died just six days ago! This time, a newcomer has risen in the south, and we've had some conflicts with him, my son and I wish to deal with him quickly." Shi Guanlin said.
"A newcomer?" The old man snorted coldly, "Shi Guanlin, you're getting worse as you grow older. You have wealth and manpower, yet you can't handle a young man?"
"Elder Qiu, this young man is different! If he were a simple character, I wouldn't have come seeking your help. He's not an ordinary person, and in town, he's become unstoppable, and his combat power is incredibly high. Looking around Binhai, aside from you and those brothers in the east, I can't think of anyone who could surely take him down!"
"Is it really so exaggerated?" The old man was skeptical.
"Not an exaggeration at all! My sworn brother, Mu Jinbiao, has already fallen by his hands, all elite forces and those few fortunate ones you once tutored have perished! Additionally, the foreign mercenary groups hired by the Ancient Martial Sect Tianyin Sect and the Han Family joined forces to attack him but were completely annihilated. That man is young, but his strength is unfathomable!" Shi Guanlin said.
"The Tianyin Sect is a third-rate sect, not worth mentioning. The foreign mercenaries are nothing but a mob. But it's surprising someone could
defeat Mu Jinbiao, it's remarkable," the old man chuckled wryly.
"So... will Elder Qiu help us this time?" Due to the old man's terrifying strength, Shi Guanlin didn't dare disrespect him, speaking with a pleading tone, not commanding.
"Grandpa Qiu, you must help me vent this anger! That bastard has totally disregarded me, I have never been so humiliated in my life, and only with your intervention can we curb his arrogance," Shi Lang pleaded immediately.
"I'm old and no longer bother with the affairs of the martial world," the old man indirectly answered. "However, in consideration of our many years of friendship, I can point you in the right direction."
"Please go ahead, Elder Qiu!" Despite regretting that the old man wouldn't come out of seclusion, Shi Guanlin dared not force him and asked immediately.
"In the south, in Nanzhe, there is a second-rate assassin alliance in China that owes me a favor, filled with masters, far beyond the Tianyin Sect. I will give you a contact, mention my name and state your request, and someone will assist you." The old man said indifferently.
"Good!" Shi Guanlin hurriedly took the cigarettes and liquor from his son and placed them behind the old man himself.
"Go back and do not come looking for me again, consider this old bag of bones as good as dead."
"... Understood."
...
Southern City Hospital.
As noon approached, Nangong Jinming's family eagerly awaited to see Jiang Feng make a fool of himself.
If that Director Murong from Central Hospital didn't show up, it would truly be a spectacle, and Jiang Feng would become everyone's laughingstock.
But as the seconds ticked by, Nangong Qingcheng became a bit worried too.
"It's fine, just wait outside," Jiang Feng, unperturbed by others' stares, casually took Nangong Qingcheng to greet the arriving guest.
"Hmph, stubborn until the end, let's see how you embarrass yourself!" Nangong Yan sneered, then led her parents outside to enjoy the spectacle.
Nangong Jinrong and his wife, Nangong Jinwei and his wife, and Nangong Li's husband and wife all had varying attitudes as they followed them out.
The doctors at Southern City Hospital, having already prepared the operating room per Jiang Feng's request, were also anxiously awaiting at the hospital entrance, eagerly watching.