140. Storage Bracelet

"Cough, cough, cough..."

The energy needle entered the body slowly, rotating as it gradually burrowed deeper into Elder Geng’s frame. After about ten minutes, the old man suddenly began to cough. After a few moments, he abruptly opened his eyes.

"Father, you’re awake!" Geng Jizhong exclaimed, overcome with joy.

"Grandfather, you’ve really woken up!" Geng Chunming rushed forward, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Elder Geng has actually regained consciousness. How is this even possible?" Liu Yuanhua stared, his eyes wide with disbelief at the scene before him.

"My thanks to this young gentleman for saving me. Chunming, bring your grandfather some water." After a few ragged breaths, Elder Geng calmed down. He first turned to express his gratitude to Chen Fengyun before asking his grandson for water.

"This is wonderful, truly wonderful. Mr. Chen, thank you. You are a great benefactor to the Geng family." Geng Jizhong was jubilant, repeating his thanks over and over, making sure to show his appreciation to Chen Fengyun.

"Elder Geng, you should rest now. I need to consider how to extract the shrapnel," Chen Fengyun said with a smile.

"Whether the shrapnel can be removed or not is of little consequence. I haven’t much time left anyway; being able to wake up is far better than passing away while in a coma," Elder Geng said, taking a detached view of his situation.

"If I can successfully extract the shrapnel from your head, I am confident I can help you live for several more years." When Chen Fengyun said this, the Geng family was stunned with delight.

"Mr. Chen, one can tell at a glance that you are no ordinary person. Regardless of the future, your ability to wake me up today is already a debt of gratitude that our family can never fully repay. Jizhong, fetch that bracelet from the bottom of my suitcase and gift it to Mr. Chen."

Elder Geng smiled as he spoke. Having lived over ninety years, weathering both the storms of war and the fluctuations of a long life, he saw the world with profound clarity and deeply desired to secure this young man's friendship for the Geng family.

"Father, do you mean that bracelet—the one that resists blades and fire, the one that cannot be identified as gold or silver?" Geng Jizhong asked, hesitating slightly.

"Yes. It was something I obtained by chance during the war years. Since we could never determine what it was, it is useless to us. Perhaps Mr. Chen can uncover its purpose. Let it serve as a token of our thanks," Elder Geng nodded.

"Very well, I will go get it at once." Seeing his father’s resolve, Geng Jizhong immediately went to another room to retrieve the item.

"Elder Geng, I haven't really done much yet; how can I accept such a gift?" Chen Fengyun quickly declined. Although he didn't know what the object was, the solemnity with which the old man spoke suggested it was no ordinary trinket.

"Speaking of this bracelet, it was acquired during the Liberation War, when I led my troops to suppress bandits in the Shiwanda Mountains of Western Hunan. One day, thick fog blanketed the mountains, and a reconnaissance company lost its way, stumbling into a bizarre valley where strange things occurred.

"In the end, only the company commander escaped, severely wounded. When we found him, he had only one breath left, and his final words were a warning never to enter that valley before he passed away. While preparing his remains, we found that he was clutching this bracelet tightly. It seemed to have been brought out of the valley, yet it is neither gold nor jade.

"Later, I had the Academy of Sciences study it for over a decade. They found it impervious to fire, steel, and water, and confirmed it was not made of any known precious metal. I have since sent people, and even gone myself, to inquire about that mysterious place. The locals call it the 'Valley of Death'; no one, man or beast, has ever emerged from it alive."

As Elder Geng recalled the history of the bracelet, Chen Fengyun became deeply intrigued. He had a premonition that the "Valley of Death" might actually be a hidden formation.

"Mr. Chen, this is the bracelet. Please, accept it," Geng Jizhong said as he returned and handed it over.

Chen Fengyun swept the object with his spiritual sense, and his spirits soared. He realized it was indeed no ordinary item, but a storage bracelet used by ancient cultivators. The original imprint had long since faded; it was now an ownerless object.

Chen Fengyun took the bracelet and instantly projected his own spiritual imprint into it. He discovered an internal space of about ten cubic meters, filled with a chaotic pile of items: spirit stones, jade slips, medicine bottles, spiritual herbs, crafting materials, and over a dozen various artifacts—though their luster had faded, suggesting they were damaged.

Chen Fengyun was ecstatic. He never expected that a trip to the Geng household would yield a cultivator’s storage ring. Even before assessing the value of the contents, he knew the favor he owed the Geng family had grown significantly.

"Elder Geng, General Geng, to be honest, this bracelet is indeed useful to me, so I will accept it. Rest assured, I have already formulated a plan for the treatment. I need to make some preparations, but I am seventy percent certain I can extract the shrapnel." Chen Fengyun spoke immediately to the family.

"Good. Then I will leave my affairs in your hands, Mr. Chen. As for the bracelet, since it has been given to you, it is yours to handle as you see fit. Jizhong, remember: no matter the outcome of my treatment, you must always be grateful for Mr. Chen's kindness. Even if the result is not ideal, no one in the Geng family is to blame him," Elder Geng instructed his family.

"Yes, we understand," Geng Jizhong replied promptly.

"General Geng, I would like you to invite an authoritative neurosurgeon to perform the operation, while I will assist. Let us set the date for three days from now," Chen Fengyun proposed.

"That is no problem. We can invite not only the best neurosurgeons in China but the best in the world. But Mr. Chen, how will they need to coordinate with you?" Geng Jizhong asked, his interest piqued.

"The expert will still be the lead surgeon; I will assist him to ensure the precision of the operation. I believe the success rate will be very high," Chen Fengyun said, shaking his head before asking Geng Chunming to drive him home.

After Chen Fengyun left, Geng Jizhong was still hesitant. "Father, how are you feeling? Should we really proceed with the surgery in three days?" he asked, seeking the old man's opinion.

"You are the head of the Geng family now. The decision is yours, and whatever you decide, I will support it," Elder Geng replied with a shake of his head.

Geng Jizhong walked outside, lit a cigarette, and paced back and forth in the courtyard. If they did not operate, his father might live for another ten days or so in his current state. If they did operate and failed, his father would not even make it those ten days. But if the surgery succeeded, his father could live for several more years—which would be a monumental blessing for the Geng family.