The Art of Chaotic Divinity

Chapter 667: Ling Hanyang's Past

"As expected of the empress dowager, her influence truly extends everywhere."

Ling Feng felt a flicker of danger. Being the heir of the medical saint could be both a blessing and a burden.

He knew too little about his grandfather's past, so he couldn't tell whether the empress dowager was a friend or foe.

"Young man, there's no need to be so tense," the empress dowager said softly, smiling gently at Ling Feng. "Your grandfather and I share a long history." @@novelbin@@

Ling Feng's pupils slightly narrowed, and he asked in a deep voice, "Could the empress dowager explain more about this history?"

"That was about forty or fifty years ago," she began, raising her head slightly, her flawless face betraying none of her true age. After all, she was from the same generation as Ling Feng's grandmother.

"Back then, a sixteen-year-old girl left her family for training and was injured by a demonic beast..."

Through her story, Ling Feng gradually learned more about his grandfather's past.

It turned out that in his youth, Ling Hanyang had once saved a girl who had been gravely injured by a demonic beast. Though Ling Hanyang was not yet a medical saint at the time, his skills had already reached the level of an extraordinary daoist.

He healed the girl, and soon discovered that the girl was Yan Ning, the daughter of the powerful Yan family from the Eastern Capital.

As Ling Hanyang spent time with Yan Ning, his feelings for her grew. Unfortunately, the Yan family saw him as a mere commoner and someone unworthy ofYan Ning, their pride of the heavens.

Time flew by, and ten years passed.

In the Tianbai Empire, a peerless medical saint emerged. He was renowned for effortlessly healing even king-tier and emperor-tier experts.

That medical saint was none other than Ling Hanyang.

The Yan family, who once despised him as a commoner, now found that his medical prowess could command kings and emperors alike.

No one could surpass Ling Hanyang's level of mastery in medicine. Even the highest nobles had to treat him with respect.

Ling Hanyang eventually sought out the Yan family again, only to learn that Yan Ning had already become a royal consort.

Even after reaching the pinnacle of medicine, this news devastated Ling Hanyang.

Heartbroken, Ling Hanyang traveled to the imperial capital and offered the youth-preserving pill, a miraculous elixir, to Yan Ning, who had now become a royal consort, just to see her smile.

Ling Hanyang left the imperial capital and wandered the world, becoming a legend known far and wide for his medical skills.

Later, a demon clan expert heard of Ling Hanyang's reputation and invited him to the demon domain in Nanjiang to treat the Qiongqi Demon Emperor.

This journey was fraught with danger and life and death were uncertain.

Although Ling Hanyang's medical skills were exceptional, he had never trained in martial arts. So before leaving for the demon domain, he met Yan Ning one last time to entrust her with the second volume of The Profound Art of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for safekeeping.

This explained how such an important written work ended up with the Yan family in the Eastern Capital.

From the beginning, Ling Hanyang's heart belonged solely to Yan Ning.

When Ling Hanyang miraculously returned alive from the demon domain, he gradually withdrew from the public eye. Twenty years had passed since then.

After hearing the story, Ling Feng finally realized that the noble empress dowager before him was none other than Yan Ning, the woman once loved by his grandfather.

What an extraordinary woman she was. Not only had she ensnared the heart of Yan Cangtian, but she had also captured his grandfather's as well.

It was no wonder that The Profound Art of Acupuncture and Moxibustion ended up with the Yan family in the Eastern Capital. After all, heroes couldn’t resist the allure of a beautiful woman.

"So, young one, do you still think I would bear any ill will toward you?"

The empress dowager, or more appropriately, Yan Ning, gazed at Ling Feng warm-heartedly and spoke. "After all, Hanyang saved my life. And my everlasting youth is also thanks to him."

Ling Feng took a deep breath. The youth-preserving pill is indeed a rare and miraculous elixir. Though it isn’t the highest grade, it is incredibly difficult to refine, and no less challenging than a ninth-tier medicinal pill.

With my current abilities, the best I can manage are seventh-tier pills.

Yet my grandfather crafted such a pill and gave it to the woman he loved. My grandfather had been a true romantic.

So, the empress dowager was... Ling Feng slowly stood and bowed to her. If fate had been kinder, Yan Ning might have been my grandmother.

"You are Hanyang's descendant... How is he now?" The empress dowager sighed softly, her voice heavy with emotion.

"My grandfather passed away long ago," Ling Feng said quietly.

"I see, he's gone..."

With deep sorrow, she raised the wine cup before her and drained it.

After a long silence, the empress dowager looked at Ling Feng and said slowly, "As far as I know, you seem to have some misunderstandings with our Yan family's most outstanding junior, Yan Jinghong?"

"It's not really a misunderstanding," Ling Feng clarified, attempting to change the subject. "My grandfather entrusted The Profound Art of Acupuncture and Moxibustion to you for safekeeping, and as his descendant, I've come to retrieve it. Would the empress dowager be willing to return it?"

"I knew Hanyang's descendants would eventually come for this medical script."

The empress dowager shook her head, replying, "I'm not skilled in medicine, so I didn't keep it with me. It's still with the Yan family in the Eastern Capital. However, I have an excellent memory. I've read the book a few times, so I could write it out for you. How does that sound?"

"Uh..." Ling Feng hesitated. While The Profound Art of Acupuncture and Moxibustion was valuable, the hidden text within it, The Art of Chaotic Divinity, was far more important.

"I appreciate the empress dowager's offer, but since it was my grandfather's book, I would prefer to retrieve the original," Ling Feng said with a smile, politely declining.

"Is that so?" The empress dowager looked slightly disappointed. "What a shame. I already gave the book to the head of the Yan family long ago, so I can't retrieve it now."

Ling Feng scoffed inwardly and became more cautious toward her. Is it really that difficult for someone as esteemed as the empress dowager to request the medical script from her family?

This woman is far more complicated than she appears!

Ling Feng thought of his grandfather, Yan Cangtian, and the former emperor of the Tianbai Empire. These three men were likely the most extraordinary in the world, yet each one of them had been captivated by this woman. Could it really be just because of her beauty?

One must always be on guard!

"Well, I'll handle this matter on my own. It's getting late, so I should let the empress dowager rest," Ling Feng said politely.

"Sigh, I had hoped to prevent the battle between you and Jinghong, but both of you are so stubborn. I only wish for your safety."

The empress dowager sighed again and stood up, escorting Ling Feng to the door personally.

"Thank you, empress dowager." Ling Feng bowed again and followed her out of the palace.

Tuoba Yan waited outside with a cold expression. She was shocked when she saw the woman accompanying Ling Feng out of the palace.

Is that the empress dowager?

People might mistake her for a princess!

"Little Feng, since I was acquainted with your grandfather, I hope you don't mind me calling you that," the empress dowager said warmly with a smile.

"Of course not. In fact, I felt a certain familiarity when I first saw the empress dowager," Ling Feng replied, pretending to be close as he smiled.

"This is an entry token for the palace. You're welcome to visit me anytime," the empress dowager said while handing him a gold token. "Go on now. I'm truly sorry about the medical scripture."

"The empress dowager is too kind."

Ling Feng bowed once more, and led by Xiao Anzi, he left the palace with the bewildered Tuoba Yan.

As Ling Feng's figure disappeared into the distance, the empress dowager's warm smile slowly faded. In its place was a cold and regal expression, one that exuded an aura of untouchable nobility.