Storm Before the Conference

Wren Tyson exclaimed with surprise, "I can feel a prickling sensation."

The moment those words left his mouth, even the air inside the courtyard seemed to pause.

For years, his legs had been nothing more than dead weight beneath him. No warmth. No pain. No sensation at all. They had become like lifeless wood attached to his body, a constant reminder of his fall from glory.

Yet now—

A faint prickling sensation spread through his calf like tiny sparks dancing beneath the skin.

It was weak.

Painfully weak.

But to Wren Tyson, it felt like a miracle descending from the heavens.

Ancient medicine masters.

Old Martial Arts healers.

Foreign specialists from worldwide.

Nothing had worked.

Yet now, after only a single needle from Julian D’Aurelius...

There was already a reaction.

Julian calmly rotated the silver needle between his fingers, his golden eyes focused and steady.

"It means your condition isn’t too severe, Uncle Wren, but it might get more painful," Julian said with a faint smile.

Hearing that, Wren Tyson actually laughed.

Pain?

After living like a cripple for so many years, what was pain?

If pain meant recovery, he would gladly endure ten times more.

"Young Master Julian," Wren Tyson said hoarsely, "even if my legs feel like they’re being torn apart, I won’t complain."

The morning sunlight filtered through the bamboo curtains, casting long shadows across the room. Thin trails of medicinal steam still lingered in the air from the sterilized needles.

Julian nodded slightly.

Seeing Wren Tyson’s reaction, he finally relaxed internally.

The acupuncture method recorded within the Miracle Medicine Record truly was extraordinary.

Every needle position.

Every angle.

Every depth.

All of it resembled a mysterious art capable of reviving dead rivers within the human body.

Wren Tyson’s condition was actually worse than it looked.

Years of paralysis had caused severe nervous system necrosis. The flow of internal energy throughout his lower body had become stagnant, almost completely blocked.

Under normal circumstances, even the greatest doctors would only shake their heads helplessly.

But the Miracle Medicine Record approached healing differently.

Instead of simply treating symptoms, it restored circulation itself.

Like dredging a frozen river back to life.

At that moment, footsteps hurried outside.

A few minutes later, Yana returned carrying several wooden trays filled with herbs. The faint fragrance of medicinal roots immediately spread throughout the courtyard.

Sweat lightly covered her forehead from rushing back personally instead of delegating the task to servants.

Julian glanced over the ingredients.

Black gendarme.

Black frost vine.

Moonleaf bark.

Everything was correct.

"Boil these together," Julian instructed calmly. "Low heat first. Then increase the flame after fifteen minutes."

Yana nodded seriously.

"I already ordered the kitchen to prepare everything exactly as written."

There was no trace of the proud Tyson Family young lady now.

Only trust.

Complete trust.

Soon, servants brought over a large wooden medicinal basin. Steam rose slowly from the dark-colored concoction inside, carrying a heavy bitter scent throughout the room.

After waiting for the temperature to cool slightly, Yana carefully helped her father place both legs into the medicinal liquid.

The instant his legs submerged—

Wren Tyson’s face twisted violently.

Veins bulged across his forehead.

His fingers clenched the wheelchair handles so tightly they creaked.

"It hurts..."

His voice became rough.

"It feels like... thousands of needles piercing into my bones..."

Cold sweat rapidly formed along his temples.

The pain was far worse than ordinary injury.

It was as though dormant nerves were being forcibly awakened after years of death-like silence.

Julian remained calm.

"That means the medicine is working."

He stepped closer and lightly adjusted another silver needle.

"You’ve been paralyzed too long. The toxins and dead internal energy accumulated inside your nervous system have practically sealed everything shut."

Wren Tyson gritted his teeth but did not remove his legs.

Not even slightly.

"Just soak for another hour, and Uncle Wren, you’ll need to soak every day. After three months, the toxins accumulated in your nervous system should be flushed out," Julian advised with a smile.

Yana listened carefully, memorizing every word.

Three months.

For ordinary people, that sounded long.

But for the Tyson Family, who had waited years in despair...

Three months was nothing.

Wren Tyson suddenly raised his head.

"Will I be able to stand after three months?"

His voice trembled slightly.

Not from fear.

But hope.

The kind of hope that had nearly died long ago.

Julian looked at him calmly before nodding.

"I should be able to help you stand with another acupuncture session then."

Silence filled the courtyard.

Yana’s eyes immediately turned red.

Even Wren Tyson himself froze for several seconds.

Stand again...

Those words sounded unreal.

For years, he had watched others train while sitting helplessly in a wheelchair.

Watched enemies mock the Tyson Family behind closed doors.

Watched ambitious forces circle around Valemont like wolves waiting for him to die completely.

And now—

There was finally a path back.

Julian slowly explained further.

"Your legs were mainly blocked by toxins after the nervous system necrosis."

"Once the toxins are expelled, and acupuncture guides your internal energy properly again, recovery becomes natural."

He lightly tapped the side of the medicinal basin.

"Like a river blocked by silt."

"Clear the blockage."

"Restore the flow."

"Everything returns to normal."

Wren Tyson inhaled deeply.

He understood instantly.

As a former Gold Realm expert, his comprehension far exceeded ordinary people.

The more he listened, the more shocked he became.

This level of medical understanding...

Even senior Miracle Doctor Ravenswood might not possess it.

"Thank you, Young Master Julian," Wren Tyson said quietly.

This time, there was genuine emotion in his voice.

Not mere politeness.

Gratitude.

Julian nodded casually and was about to respond when hurried footsteps suddenly approached from outside the courtyard.

The atmosphere immediately shifted.

A middle-aged man entered quickly, his expression tense.

It was Xavier Tyson.

Wren Tyson’s younger brother.

Unlike Wren Tyson’s calm scholarly aura, Xavier possessed a far more rugged presence. His sharp eyes swept across the courtyard before landing on Wren’s soaking legs.

Shock briefly flashed through his face.

But he quickly suppressed it.

"What’s wrong, Second Uncle?" Yana asked immediately after noticing his urgency.

Xavier Tyson frowned deeply.

"The Lockheart Family is here to cause trouble," he replied bluntly.

The moment those words fell—

The atmosphere inside the courtyard instantly cooled.

Even the servants nearby unconsciously lowered their breathing.

Julian narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Lockheart Family.

Valemont’s eternal second-place ancient martial arts household.

For decades, they had competed fiercely against the Tyson Family.

And for decades...

They lost every single time.

Still, they never gave up.

Because as long as Wren Tyson remained crippled, the Tyson Family’s dominance was no longer absolute.

Xavier continued grimly.

"They brought several elders this time."

"And Charvi Lockheart personally came as well."

Yana’s expression darkened immediately.

"So they really came..."

Her tone carried disgust.

The Lockheart Family never visited without ulterior motives.

Especially not during such a sensitive period.

Julian quietly recalled the situation from memory.

The Ancient Martial Arts Conference was approaching soon.

A grand gathering held once every five years.

Every major Old Martial Arts force within Valemont would participate.

Resources.

Prestige.

Authority.

Territory.

Everything could change during that conference.

And the Tyson Family had ruled it for years.

Because Wren Tyson once stood invincible there.

Even after his paralysis, the Tyson Family still retained overwhelming influence due to their deep foundation.

Six Silver Realm experts.

Nearly twenty Iron Realm martial artists.

An enormous security company.

Martial arts schools spread throughout Valemont.

Their roots ran deep.

Which was precisely why the Lockheart Family desperately wanted to drag them down.

Wren Tyson’s face gradually darkened while enduring the pain from the medicinal bath.

"Are they here because of the Ancient Martial Arts Conference?" Wren Tyson asked with a dark expression.