A moment later, Xue Tong looked at Mo Xi with eyes practically glowing like a miser who had discovered a mountain of gold: "Miss, I have tasted hundreds of herbs to create the Nine Needles, mastering a unique skill. Your physique is exceptional, and you possess the Eight Extraordinary Meridians… The Eight Extraordinary Meridians are the Ren Meridian, Du Meridian, Chong Meridian, Dai Meridian, Yin Qiao Meridian, Yang Qiao Meridian, Yin Wei Meridian, and Yang Wei Meridian. They differ from the Twelve Regular Meridians; they are not directly connected to the internal organs, nor do they have an exterior-interior relationship. Their pathways are unconventional…"
Mo Xi listened as this medical madman rattled off medical texts, only understanding one point. This Xue fellow wanted to use acupuncture to open up her Ren and Du meridians. Mo Xi had read countless martial arts novels where the protagonists, after opening their Ren and Du meridians, became invincible, entering a stage where leveling up and defeating monsters was as easy as cutting melons and vegetables. But these novels never explained what the Ren and Du meridians actually were.
Xue Tongxue provided a very detailed explanation: The Ren Meridian runs along the midline of the abdomen, and it intersects with the three Yin meridians of the hands and feet, as well as the Yin Wei Meridian, multiple times. It governs all the Yin meridians of the body, hence it is called the "Sea of Yin Meridians." The Du Meridian runs along the midline of the back, and it intersects with the three Yang meridians of the hands and feet, as well as the Yang Wei Meridian, multiple times. It governs all the Yang meridians of the body, hence it is called the "Sea of Yang Meridians."
Even Mo Xi, who was usually carefree, couldn't help but be moved. But this man had an eccentric temperament; they had never met before. Why was he so enthusiastic?
"Please forgive Muxi for being ungrateful, why is Doctor Xue so eager to help?"
"I have roamed the martial world for over thirty years, encountering countless talented and virtuous individuals. But only the former head of the Shu Mountain Sect, He Qun, and you, young lady, have withstood the challenge of opening the Ren and Du meridians without becoming crippled. The Ren meridian governs Yin, and the Du meridian governs Yang. It is said that Yin and Yang must be in harmony for good fortune. Ordinary people who open these two meridians not only fail to achieve harmony but also cause them to counteract each other, ultimately leading to their collapse." After a pause, Xue Tong said arrogantly with his hands behind his back, "I have been unruly all my life. Tell me, how many people in the world have sought my help?" "Of all the thousands, only the former Sect Leader He has ever begged me to treat him." He gave a fawning smile, his white eyebrows trembling slightly. "Young lady, you are the second one. Many in the martial world say I'm heartless, but they don't understand why I would use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. I truly disdain such methods. While a miraculous cure might showcase my skills, only if my hands can transform the mundane into the extraordinary, creating a martial arts prodigy, will my name be remembered for generations."
Mo Xi understood. This medical madman treated his patients like works of art, and she herself was the rarest kind of material. But how could she know if Xue Tong was telling the truth?
"The divine physician must already know that I was poisoned before," Mo Xi said tentatively, calming her feverish mind.
Xue Tong asked curiously, then said nonchalantly, "The poison in your body has long since disappeared, so there's no need to worry." He paused, then looked at Mo Xi with hopeful eyes and asked, "Would you agree to my suggestion?" Xue Tong felt like crying. This was something so many people longed for but couldn't have, yet these two were all agreeing so reluctantly.
"Now that the poison has been cured, and I have troubled you for many days, I shall take my leave. Why don't you come with me to Jinling, Physician Xue, to discuss this further?" She said these two sentences separately to Tang Huan and Xue Tong. Regardless of whether this matter was true or false, leaving this place was the best course of action.
Unexpectedly, Xue Tong's eyebrows trembled even more rapidly as he became anxious. "This is absolutely impossible. The process of opening the two meridians is extremely dangerous. Only with the aid of this Seven Treasures Hetian Jade Bed can the young lady be kept safe. Moreover, the process is very painful. The young lady is of the Yin constitution. Before the two meridians are fully opened, she will gradually feel hot. She will need the coolness of the jade bed to relieve it."
Hearing this, Tang Huan, who was originally looking at Mo Xi, shifted her gaze elsewhere, her expression unreadable.
“Miss Mu, you may not know this, but what Doctor Xue said is true. When the Fourth Young Master was suffering from a leg ailment, Doctor Xue used this jade bed to help him restore his tendons and veins.” Tang De said, glancing at Tang Huan’s expression. Seeing that Tang Huan’s eyes were unfocused, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.
Hearing this, Mo Xi became somewhat more convinced. Tang Huan's leg ailment couldn't be cured by ordinary means, and besides, a Hetian jade bed required several years of work from a single piece of jade to carve. If someone wanted to set a trap for her, there was no need to go to such lengths.
"But how long will it take to open up the Ren and Du meridians?" This was too tempting for Mo Xi, and she couldn't help but ask.
"It depends on each person's constitution, but I have only ever used it on He Qun, so I can't really say for sure." He thought for a moment and then added, "It will take anywhere from one month to three months."
Mo Xi secretly thought that if the time could not be determined, it would be more believable.
“Young lady, please remember, you must not force your qi during this period, otherwise you will be paralyzed at best or die at worst,” Xue Tong said cautiously.
“That would be quite difficult,” Tang De suddenly interjected. “The matter was handled hastily, and the Tang Clan has not yet been purged. As a friend of the Fourth Young Master, if you were to temporarily lose your martial arts skills, you would be in grave danger. The battle between the Tang Clan and the Yuejian Clan resulted in the loss of countless experts. It would be unwise to have them guard the Fourth Young Master and the young lady separately. Moreover, the jade bed weighs over a thousand pounds and is not easy to move.” After pondering for a moment, he said, “Could the young lady temporarily make do with living with the Fourth Young Master in Qinghui Pavilion for a while? Firstly, the jade bed is here, and secondly, it will ensure the young lady’s safety.”
Mo Xi smiled slightly and said, "That's fine. But I have a favor to ask." Tang Huan was clearly surprised that Mo Xi agreed so readily and immediately looked at her.
She smiled and said, "I wonder if Fourth Young Master could lend me the Jade Pearl for a few days to admire. I will return it immediately upon my departure." She had been wandering around the Tang Clan these past few days and had heard a lot of gossip, so she naturally knew that to avoid trouble, the fake pearl that Tang Yun had obtained had been destroyed.
Tang De looked hesitant, but Tang Huan readily agreed.
Only then did Mo Xi feel slightly relieved. In any case, if there was any trap, she could deal with it if she had one of the four treasures of the Tang Clan. Moreover, if she lost her martial arts skills, she would feel a sense of security with such a treasure that could ward off all poisons.
Jade Pearl
( ) Mo Xi saw that Xue Tong and Tang De had taken control of Tang Huan's territory in Qinghui Pavilion with just a few words, and even changed the status of his bed, all of which Tang Huan accepted without a word. Mo Xi even asked for his jade pearl as a get-out-of-jail-free card, and Tang Huan readily agreed. Mo Xi couldn't help but look at him suspiciously.
"But Huan also has a request, which I hope you will grant. You are skilled in the study of things, could you please give me some pointers during this time?"
“Of course,” Mo Xi readily agreed. But she still felt that his plans went beyond that. However, opening up the meridians was imperative, regardless. She could only deal with whatever came her way.
Tang Huan took out a slightly worn but exquisitely crafted sapphire blue ruyi-shaped embroidered orchid pouch from her bosom. The silver trim on it was slightly rough, indicating that it was an old, personal item. She poured out a large, perfectly round bead that shimmered with iridescent light and handed it to Mo Xi.
Mo Xi felt a slight coolness in her palm. The bead rolled around, a streak of multicolored light flashed by, and the entire bead vanished from her hand in an instant. Even she, who was usually as calm as a mountain, was extremely surprised at this moment.
Tang De was also shocked. Just as he was about to speak, Tang Huan concealed his surprise and glanced at him indifferently. He then said gently to Mo Xi, "This pearl has shown such a miracle. Miss, you should believe it to be true." Seeing that Mo Xi was staring at her palm with doubt, he said, "Miss, you don't need to worry about this. After this matter is over, use the Langya Staff to guide it, and the Jade Pearl will float to the surface."
Mo Xi nodded. The moment the jade pearl entered her body, she felt a cool sensation all over, and now she felt even more refreshed, as if the air itself had become fresher. She smiled gently. Tang Huan, seeing this, felt relieved and returned the smile.
Xue Tong, standing to the side, also clicked his tongue in amazement, thinking to himself, "So the rumors are true after all."
―――――
The next day, Mo Xi moved to Qinghui Pavilion. She had nothing of value, and all her living necessities were prepared by Luan Su, which was quite inexpensive.
Xue Tong was well-versed in traditional Chinese medicine from a young age, and was also familiar with several classics, such as the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, the Yellow Emperor's Eighty-One Difficulties Classic, the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Changes, the Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. It took him many years to become proficient in these classics and to integrate them into his knowledge.
Xue Tong's acupuncture method combines acupuncture with moxibustion. The technique is quite similar to the folk art of "fire needle embroidery." "Fire needle embroidery" involves heating a hot iron and using techniques from Chinese painting, such as outlining, sketching, dotting, dyeing, rubbing, and line drawing, to create marks on materials like bamboo, wood, Xuan paper, and silk. While controlling the heat and pressure, it emphasizes "the idea precedes the brushstroke, and the brushstroke forms the shape."
When Xue Tong applied the steel needles, his technique was skillful and fluid, his style elegant and profound, like splashing ink to paint a picture, his demeanor unrestrained, sweeping away any trace of vulgarity.
While Xue Tong exuded elegance, Mo Xi was suffering terribly. Even with her usual composure and restraint, the burning, relentless pain made her grit her teeth and curse inwardly. This was truly unbearable; not only was her body covered in needles, but she also had to endure an hour of acupuncture daily, followed by two hours of medicinal baths. She couldn't help but find amusement in her suffering, secretly mocking herself: In the Three Kingdoms period, Hua Tuo scraped the bone to heal Guan Yu; today, Xue Tong was using acupuncture to unblock her meridians. But everything comes at a price; to become a master, she had no choice but to persevere.
Because Xue Tong was not skilled in martial arts, it was best to have someone skilled in martial arts by his side while administering acupuncture. Therefore, Tang Huan watched from the side the whole time. Having personally experienced the pain of acupuncture, he naturally empathized with the situation. He saw that Mo Xi's face was unharmed, but his fingers were slightly bent and then relaxed, repeating this process over and over again. After a set of acupuncture techniques was completed, he himself was clenching his palms tightly without realizing it.
Mo Xi's decision to stay at the Tang Clan and have Xue Tong treat her with acupuncture and medicine was indeed a risky move. However, setting aside the fact that opening the Ren and Du meridians is a dream come true for countless martial artists, ever since she offended the Seventh Prince, she has been constantly in a state of crisis, and her martial arts training has become increasingly diligent. This Prince Duan, in order to eliminate his rival prince, even dared to rob military rations, single-handedly causing the country's defeat; and for his own selfish reasons, he allowed national treasures to fall into foreign hands; it is clear that he is ruthless and has no bottom line. Moreover, he even dared to make things difficult for martial arts practitioners with his princely status, resorting to retaliation against Lin Sen and his companion, and attempting to control the organization for his own use. It's possible that her previous actions haven't been discovered by Prince Duan, who may harbor resentment and seek an opportunity to eliminate her. Offending such a powerful boss was not Mo Xi's wish, but since things have come to this, she can only improve her strength as quickly as possible, adapting to any eventuality, in order to fight back. Besides, as she was in the Tang Clan, her clothes, food, housing, and transportation were all controlled by others. If Tang Huan really wanted to harm her, there were many ways he could do it, so why go to such great lengths?
Tang Huan naturally couldn't be present during the next two hours of medicinal bath, so he went to the Crimson Cloud Terrace to discuss and handle Tang Clan affairs.
Tang Huan returned just as the sun was setting. He saw Mo Xi sitting by the window, combing her hair with a white jade comb with a floral and bird pattern. Seeing that a few strands of her hair had already fallen out of her hair in a careless manner, he turned his head away, not wanting to look anymore.
Seeing him arrive, Mo Xi casually set down her comb and laughed, "Sorry, I've taken over again." She paused, then added, "Thank you for your great help, Fourth Young Master." This was genuine. Regardless of what this fellow was really up to, when they were making the medicinal soup that afternoon, Mo Xi was utterly astonished to see Xue Tong relentlessly pouring precious herbs like white lingzhi and snow lotus into the wooden tub as if they were free. If it weren't for being in the Tang Clan, this would have been impossible.
Tang Huan smiled and asked, "Are you feeling bored? Would you like to go to my study and find some books to read? Let's have dinner set out now, and we can come back in a bit."
"Okay." Studying is something from a past life.
Tang Huan's books were numerous and varied. Mo Xi quickly scanned them with her eyes and pulled out a copy of "Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Assassins." Even assassins need to keep up with the times; perhaps she could learn something from the deeds of her historically renowned colleagues.
Dinner was sumptuous. It was a rare treat to have Jiangnan cuisine, and the taste was surprisingly similar to that of Jushui Pavilion.
Honey-glazed crispy fish, braised pigeon, dried tofu with wormwood, shredded lettuce, glutinous rice lotus root slices, and braised vegetarian chicken.
Just as Luan Su was about to step forward to serve the soup, Tang Huan ladled out a bowl of ginseng and lily soup, pushed the enamel-painted porcelain bowl with the apricot blossom and swallow design in front of Mo Xi, and said, "Try this."
Mo Xi naturally accepted it with a smile.
"This is stewed with North American ginseng, lily bulbs, figs, lean meat, and dried tangerine peel. It is excellent for nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, relieving dryness and clearing the throat, and promoting qi circulation and strengthening the spleen."