The spacious hall features a row of genuine leather sofas in the center, flanked by a set of antique mahogany furniture. Antiques and trinkets are displayed on shelves, and several paintings and calligraphy works by famous figures hang on the walls. All of this demonstrates the owner's wealth and desire to showcase their refined taste.
A short, bloated fat man with only a few long hairs on his head was lying on the sofa, his goldfish eyes half-closed, listening to what a middle-aged man opposite him was saying.
The man standing and speaking was a middle-aged man with a cold expression. He exuded a domineering and tyrannical aura that inspired fear in those around him.
"Following Mr. Luo's directions, I found the family in Yantai, but I was too late; the item had already been moved. The man refused to reveal its whereabouts, so I had to kill him. His wife was scared, saying that an old man and a young man came and took the item a few hours earlier, from Penglai, but she didn't know the exact location, only that the young man's name was Song Hao. I then ordered my men to check the trucks that had passed through Penglai that day, and we found the truck and the driver. The driver, however, said that the old man and the young man suddenly changed trucks midway and transported the item to Jinan. I've been investigating for so many days, but there's been no result from Jinan," the middle-aged man said calmly.
"Diao Cheng, you've been fooled by that old man and the boy. That thing wasn't transported to Jinan at all; it was probably shipped directly to Penglai. They just played a trick." The short, fat man suddenly opened his fish-like eyes, and a terrifying glint flashed in them.
“I thought of that too, so we started investigating in both Jinan and Penglai at the same time. In Penglai, we paid people to check the local household registrations. We found a total of seven people named Song Hao. Two of them were children under ten years old, three of them worked and studied in other places all year round and had not returned recently, and the other two were also ruled out. They were not the people we were looking for.” Diao Cheng said indifferently.
"It seems Dou Haiqin has invited experts from out of town to help, but one thing is certain: that thing is still somewhere in Penglai. Your focus should be there. Don't worry, after it's done, your Feng Huo Tang will definitely get your share of the 30 million." The short, fat man's lips twitched as he spoke.
"The Master has ordered me to do everything in my power to help Mr. Luo. Don't talk to me about money; that's between you and the Master," Diao Cheng said calmly.
"Hehe!" The short, fat man chuckled and said, "I forgot, Ghost Hand Diao Cheng doesn't care about money. Good character! I like it!"
"If there's nothing else, I'll head to Penglai now," Diao Cheng nodded.
"Go on, and let me know immediately if you have any news about that thing. I will reward you in other ways after it's done. Uncle Lin, see Mr. Diao out for me." The short, fat man nodded in satisfaction and said.
A shrewd and capable old man entered from outside the door and then saw Diao Cheng out.
After seeing Diao Cheng off at the villa gate, Uncle Lin looked around to make sure no one was watching, then quickly hid in a corner, took out his phone, and dialed a number.
"Tell the sect leader that the thing has arrived in Penglai, Shandong..."
The short, stout man was named Luo Beiming, a prominent public figure renowned in the medical world for his ancestral Luo family acupuncture techniques, known as the "Luo Family Magic Needle." He operated six unique private acupuncture hospitals in major cities such as Tianjin, Beijing, and Shanghai. Luo Beiming also possessed a little-known, mysterious identity: the leader of the Magic Needle Sect, one of the nine major medical schools and eighteen renowned medical sects in the martial arts world.
The Luo family's acupuncture technique has a fascinating origin. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Luo family ancestors rescued a wandering Taoist priest from the freezing cold. Grateful, the priest passed on to the Luo family ancestors a set of acupuncture techniques that were both orthodox and unorthodox. Orthodox in that they were remarkably effective in treating illnesses. Unorthodox in that they could secretly induce strange and unusual diseases, then use the same techniques to cure them, thus using this method to amass wealth.
The "Magic Needle Cult" was a hidden cancer in society. In the old days, any family that fell ill after being treated by members of the Magic Needle Cult was doomed. While the initial ailment might be cured, inexplicable and strange illnesses would arise, which could only be cured by the Luo family's acupuncture techniques. Families often exhausted their resources before finally recovering.
In modern times, the Magic Needle School came into the hands of Luo Beiming, who began to implement some "reforms." He no longer resorted to underhanded methods when impoverished families sought his treatment, but instead focused on curing them as much as possible to gain fame. Originally, these poor patients had no way to profit from him, and secretly plotting against him would be counterproductive. As a result, the wealthy and powerful began to suffer. They came seeking his treatment, often finding their ailments cured quickly and leaving happily in gratitude. However, not long after, strange and unusual illnesses would strike, and numerous examinations would fail to reveal the cause. Only by seeking Luo's acupuncture methods again, spending vast sums of money, sometimes even going bankrupt, could they be cured. It had a touch of "robbing the rich to help the poor," but it wasn't his intention, so there was no moral or ethical consideration involved.
The Luo Family's Magic Needles were indeed peculiar. They left no trace during application, were unverifiable, and could only be performed by Luo Beiming's trusted disciples under his authorization. While treating old ailments, they secretly used unique needling techniques, planting the seeds of future problems. These problems would manifest at a certain time, often presenting as a combination of hot and cold sensations, and various other ailments, resembling neurological or endocrine disorders. Hospital examinations revealed nothing, so no one suspected the Magic Needles practitioners of tampering with the needles. Thus, Luo Beiming's business flourished, rapidly expanding from a wandering quack to a doctor of acupuncture, establishing a hospital, becoming a celebrity, and rising to prominence. The name "Luo Family's Magic Needles" became widely known, a name with a double meaning.
If you are sick and have been given acupuncture or medicine by someone, and recently feel unwell and have contracted a strange illness that hospitals cannot diagnose, it is likely that you have been given evil medical treatment. The one who tied the knot must untie it. Go back to that person, say all the nice things and spend all the money, and there will be a cure.
Meanwhile, those who had been secretly tricked by Luo's Demonic Needles returned seeking help, and a few eventually found their way to the Dou family of the Golden Needle Sect. The Dou family's acupuncture techniques were extraordinary; they managed to "correct the chaos," breaking the acupuncture method "planted" by Luo's Demonic Needles. They also realized that the Demonic Needle Sect had been using reverse acupuncture on patients, and they began to despise Luo Beiming. Thus, a feud was formed between the Golden Needle Sect and the Demonic Needle Sect.
Luo Beiming began to fear the Dou family's acupuncture techniques, as they could actually counter his Luo Family's Demonic Needles. He realized that the Dou family's dominance would no longer be sustainable. Therefore, he wanted to learn about the Dou family's acupuncture techniques in order to improve upon the Luo Family's Demonic Needles, so that the other party would have no way to counter them and he could control the source of their wealth. Thus, he began to play a double agent game.
Luo Beiming sent one of his trusted disciples, Li He, who went through many twists and turns to successfully infiltrate the Golden Needle Sect and steal their techniques.
Li He also possessed some talent in acupuncture. After five years of undercover work, his skills improved significantly, earning him the favor of Dou Fei, the head of the Golden Needle Sect and father of Dou Haiqin. Dou Fei intended to take him on as a disciple and provide him with intensive training. He even had Li He practice and observe the Song Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Man, a secret technique passed down through generations of the Dou family, to enhance his needling power. Unexpectedly, this action brought bloodshed to the Golden Needle Sect.
Meanwhile, Luo Beiming watched Diao Cheng's departing figure, his goldfish eyes rolling up and down as if deep in thought.
"Dad! I don't think the people from Feng Huo Tang can be trusted either. I'll go to Penglai myself!"
A beautiful woman with a wilder side walked down from upstairs.
Chapter Eighteen Exposure
The Belt Meridian originates at the Zhangmen acupoint on the Foot Jueyin meridian in the hypochondrium, and follows the Foot Shaoyang meridian along the Belt Meridian acupoints, encircling the body like a belt. —Excerpt from *A Study of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians*
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The woman's name was Luo Feiying, Luo Beiming's daughter. She also had a son named Luo Feixiong, who managed the several acupuncture hospitals for Luo Beiming. Luo Feiying was naturally beautiful; though her skin was slightly dark, she was a great beauty and a graduate of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you were to mention this father and daughter, nine out of ten people would shake their heads and say that Luo Feiying wasn't Luo Beiming's daughter, and the remaining one simply wouldn't bother to comment. Who could say for sure why? However, in terms of temperament, Luo Feiying did inherit some of Luo Beiming's worldly wisdom, ruthlessness, and especially his barbarity. Although this didn't match her age, it was a case of being influenced by one's surroundings, a product of her family's upbringing.
“That’s fine. You should go to Penglai. Before the news gets out, get your hands on that treasure before outsiders arrive. Otherwise, once word gets out, all sorts of evil spirits from the martial world will flock there, and the Feng Huo Tang will have a hard time dealing with them,” Luo Beiming nodded.
"Our Luo family is determined to obtain that Heavenly Saint Acupuncture Bronze Figure. Anyone who wants a piece of the pie should think twice before deciding whether they have the right to claim it," Luo Feiying said confidently.
"With Yingying on the case, I'm relieved! I'll inform the Feng Huo Tang people to cooperate with your operation. Besides, an overseas buyer has offered one hundred million US dollars, but if that thing is really Song Tiansheng's acupuncture bronze figure, I'm still reluctant to sell it! With this medical treasure, our Luo family's acupuncture method can be the only one of its kind in the acupuncture world. Coupled with the influence of our Demon Needle Sect in the martial arts world, the entire medical community will look to our Luo family for guidance in the future," Luo Beiming said smugly.
"Didn't Senior Brother Li He say that the bronze figure is the only surviving genuine one of the two Song Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figures? It can't be fake. When I was in medical school, several professors in the acupuncture department said that the Song Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure cast by Wang Wei was a priceless treasure, worth a fortune. It had been missing for nearly a thousand years, yet it was secretly passed down by the Dou family of the Golden Needle Sect. That treasure should have changed hands by now; how could it be kept by one family? It's fortunate that Senior Brother Li He had the good fortune to see that bronze figure; otherwise, he wouldn't have known that this medical treasure still existed in the world!" Luo Feiying leaned back on the sofa, speaking with great interest.
"By the way, why haven't I seen Li He these past few days?" Luo Beiming asked.
"The Golden Needle Sect suffered a sudden misfortune, and he thinks it's all his fault. He's feeling guilty and has gone off somewhere to drown his sorrows. A man who can't even handle this little thing, what great things can he accomplish? It's a shame Father values him so much," Luo Feiying said with some disdain.
"If we get our hands on the Heavenly Saint Bronze Man, Li He will deserve the greatest credit. He's infiltrated the Golden Needle Sect for five years to steal their techniques; it must have been tough for him. Fortunately, my efforts haven't been in vain; I unexpectedly discovered the location of the peerless treasure, the Heavenly Saint Acupuncture Bronze Man. It's strange, though. This top-secret information should have been known only to us, but it attracted several unknown groups from the martial world to simultaneously try and seize it. Even Dou Fei was killed. It seems someone is even more ruthless than us. Now that the secret has been exposed, it's a matter of who acts fastest." A sharp glint flashed in Luo Beiming's eyes again.
“I told Senior Brother Li He long ago that the Dou family massacre wasn’t entirely our doing, but he wouldn’t believe me. Judging from his expression, he’s very much on the side of the Dou family. It seems he really has something going on with that Dou Wei. My father raised him from a young age, and all these years can’t compare to the five years he spent in the Dou family. He’s forgotten all the kindness we, the Luo family, have shown him,” Luo Feiying said with some resentment.
"Regardless, Li He has brought back some incredibly good news. Yingying, try to persuade him when you have time. Among your generation, he is the most skilled in acupuncture, and he studied at the Golden Needle Sect for five years. In some aspects, I am not as good as him! Our Luo family should keep such a talent. Although he was traumatized by this matter and couldn't think straight for a while, he will forget about it with time. We must not let anything happen to him," Luo Beiming instructed.
"I understand. I'll talk to my senior brother again when I return from Penglai," Luo Feiying nodded.
Penglai, Shandong.
Song Hao strolled alone on the beach. The vastness of the sea and sky did little to alleviate his melancholy. The Song Tiansheng acupuncture bronze figure had become a heavy burden for him. The mysterious murder of Wang Yu and his wife in Yantai served as a warning to Song Hao: even the acupuncture bronze figure was not safe in his hands.
This medical treasure can evoke a unique feeling during practice. Its extraordinary ability to pinpoint acupoints is so accurate that observing it once is far more effective than trying to locate acupoints on the human body dozens or even hundreds of times. The Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure seems to possess a special kind of spirituality. Once you understand it, you can appreciate its wonders; it is truly a divine object.
This priceless treasure had unexpectedly fallen into his hands. If unforeseen circumstances led to its loss, he would truly become a sinner for all time. In his anxiety yesterday, Song Hao couldn't resist calling the phone number Dou Haiqin had left behind, hoping to contact her and have her transfer the Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure as soon as possible. Such a national treasure—he couldn't bear the responsibility if anything happened to it. The call went through, but it wasn't Dou Haiqin who answered; it was a girl's voice. Realizing the mistake, Song Hao immediately hung up. He was filled with remorse. Calling Dou Haiqin in such a short time was incredibly rash and careless. Although he called from a public phone booth, if the caller had ulterior motives regarding the Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure, they could easily find his location. Therefore, it was clear that the Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Figure was in Penglai.
Remembering Dou Haiqin's specific instructions in her letter that he could only contact her using this phone number after three months, and that if she didn't answer, it meant things had changed and the acupuncture bronze figure was entrusted to his protection, Song Hao realized he had hastily made the call, thus revealing the location of the Heavenly Saint Acupuncture Bronze Figure. He feared a large force of martial arts practitioners might arrive within days, a thought that filled Song Hao with dread. At this moment, Song Hao was unaware that the Heavenly Saint Acupuncture Bronze Figure had already been targeted and its location set in Penglai.
Feeling regretful and agitated, Song Hao dared not tell his grandfather about the matter, lest he worry him. His grandfather was already in a bad mood after closing Ping'an Hall and leaving Baihe Town; he didn't want him to have to worry about this anymore.
"Things have come to this, let's just wait and see. No matter what, this national treasure cannot be lost or even damaged in my hands!" Song Hao clenched his fist.
As evening approached, the setting sun cast its glow over the sea, illuminating the sky and water in a breathtaking panorama. Song Hao, however, had no interest in admiring the view and was about to turn away when he suddenly noticed a man standing in the distance, who seemed to have been observing him for quite some time.
Upon seeing this, Song Hao was startled. Was he being watched?