"My surname is Sun, and my name is Sun Litong," the old man said, then pointed to the young man and said, "This is my son, Sun Baoyong."
Song Hao and Tang Yu also introduced themselves.
Tang Yu said in surprise, "It seems Brother Sun is related to you."
Sun Litong said, "That's right, I am his second uncle."
Song Hao glanced at Sun Baoli and Sun Baoyong, and then suddenly realized, "They both suffer from somnambulism. Is there a genetic component to this in their families?"
Sun Litong sighed and said, "You're right. There is indeed this hereditary condition in the Sun family. However, it is also inherited across generations. There was one in the previous generation, and then two of them appeared in the next generation. This somnambulism is an extremely rare form of dissociative identity disorder. It occurs at night, when an abnormal power arises out of thin air that they cannot control. They are themselves during the day and others at night. They are both human and demonic."
Song Hao said, "Yes, and in a sense, this disease is also stimulating another potential in the human body, giving people extraordinary abilities."
Sun Litong said, "That's true, but it has disrupted their normal lives. Fortunately, I've managed to control my son Sun Baoyong's illness. Although he still suffers from night terrors, he no longer attacks people and animals without my command. It's just that Baoli developed this illness six months ago, and his symptoms are even more severe. He's bloodthirsty, otherwise he would be difficult to control."
Song Hao said, "It is already quite remarkable that the old gentleman can diagnose illnesses by examining pulses and control one patient."
Sun Litong sighed, "I was forced to do this out of desperation, so I devoted myself to studying this disease, hoping to find a cure so that my people could be free from this affliction forever. Unfortunately, I have studied it my whole life but have not found a way. This child contracted the disease when he was ten years old. Fortunately, I was able to guide him in time and prevent him from going berserk."
Song Hao said, "I just heard the old gentleman say that Brother Sun Baoli's illness can be cured. I wonder what he means? Is there really a way to cure it completely?"
Sun Litong said, “That’s right, the root of this disease lies in the presence of a foreign object in the brain. Ten years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet an old doctor who was passing by, and I begged him for a cure. The old doctor said that this disease can only be cured when there is a special connection. Within a year of onset, if a master uses his skills to guide the foreign object that has not yet taken root in the brain along the meridians to another place, and then takes the medicine, there may be a chance of recovery. Bao Yong’s illness has been going on for a long time and is incurable. Bao Li, this child, has been ill for half a year. Perhaps it is due to a connection between them, but he and Bao Yong met in a dream and were led here. Three months ago, his condition worsened, and he could not control himself without drinking animal blood, which led to the ghostly incident in the village. Just now, I checked his pulse, and the foreign object in his brain has actually moved down to his back. This must be the result of your treatment these past few days. I wonder what kind of technique you used?”
Upon hearing this, Song Hao exclaimed in surprise, "It's mainly due to acupuncture. I had previously learned from his pulse that Brother Sun had a foreign object in his brain, but I don't know how he managed to move it."
Traditional Chinese Medicine Under Heaven - Volume Two: The Heavenly Doctor's Hall - Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Traitor's Medicine
Physicians act with intention. Medicine should not be prescribed rigidly; it should be used appropriately. The physician's skill lies entirely in adaptability and flexibility. It requires divine insight and intuitive understanding to respond appropriately to the illness—this is the essence of compassionate healing. —From *Qi's Medical Cases*
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Sun Litong exclaimed in surprise, "You intended to cure the illness, but it happened unintentionally. It must be fate that your acupuncture skills hit the mark. You must be a doctor with a special destiny!"
Tang Yu said, "So, Brother Sun's illness can be cured."
Sun Litong said excitedly, "That's right. Tomorrow, when he wakes up like a normal person, bring him here, and I will treat him according to the old doctor's method. We can't move him while he's sick, otherwise something strange will happen."
Song Hao said, "Alright, we'll bring him here tomorrow."
Sun Litong waved to Sun Baoli and Sun Baoyong and said, "Baoyong, take your brother Baoli home."
Then Sun Baoyong and Sun Baoli turned and left.
Song Hao and Tang Yu also wanted to go along, but Sun Li stopped them, saying, "You two should go later. They won't tolerate outsiders around while I'm not with them."
Upon hearing this, Song Hao and Tang Yu stopped.
Tang Yu said, "Old sir, how did those two manage to obey your commands in the dream?"
Sun Litong said, “They suffer from a special kind of somnambulism. They forget what happens during the day and at night and cannot communicate with people. But since the child fell ill, I have tried every means to guide him. Over time, he has come to regard me as a person in his dreams and obeys my commands, so he will not cause harm. As for Bao Li, I mainly use Bao Yong to guide him. Otherwise, I cannot control him.”
Sun Litong continued, "Back then, the old doctor taught me a pulse diagnosis method specifically for this disease, which allowed me to detect changes. Apart from that, I knew no other techniques. The old doctor once said that only those with affinity can cure diseases with affinity. He encountered this disease when it first appeared, and there was nothing he could do. Now, you have used your acupuncture to move the foreign object in Bao Li's brain, making him treatable within the effective period. You have truly saved his life."
Song Hao asked, "I wonder how you will treat Brother Sun tomorrow, sir?"
Sun Litong said, "First, use the technique to remove the foreign object that has moved to the back, and then administer the 'Crutch Medicine'. This is the most important thing."
"Trafficking drugs!" Song Hao and Tang Yu were both taken aback upon hearing this.
Sun Litong said, "This prescription was given to me by that old doctor. In the past, this medicine for 'strangling' was taken by some martial arts masters and bodyguards in special circumstances to resist beatings. But that old doctor said that this prescription has a hundred uses and is the only way to treat this kind of illness. We'll see how effective it is tomorrow."
Sun Litong then took a piece of paper from a drawer in a table and handed it to Song Hao, saying, "This is the formula for a 'kick-and-run medicine.' I'll give you a copy to thank you for saving my nephew Bao Li. Don't underestimate this medicine. Once a person takes it, a protective force will naturally arise within their body, making them feel no pain no matter how much they are struck. In fact, the harder they are hit, the more comfortable they will feel; otherwise, they will feel very uncomfortable. In the past, when someone committed a crime, they would take it out of fear of the law, and although they would be flogged, they would not be harmed. That old doctor used it to treat somnambulism. I know little about medicine and don't understand the reasoning behind it."
Song Hao exclaimed in surprise, "There really is such a miraculous medicine in the world that can resist blows!" He then thanked him and accepted the medicine. Upon closer inspection, he found that the prescription contained dozens of ingredients, and he wondered how the combination of these ingredients could produce such a miraculous ability to resist blows.
Song Hao suddenly realized, "If this 'strangulation medicine' can truly produce such resistance to blows, it must be because its power draws out the abnormal power arising from Brother Sun's illness, which is then expelled through sweat during a heavy blow, thus curing him. That old doctor truly used the 'strangulation medicine' ingeniously and skillfully. It shows that when used properly and according to the principles, a single prescription can cure a hundred diseases."
Sun Litong nodded in approval after hearing this, saying, "That makes sense."
Tang Yu said, "If this method can save Brother Sun, it should also be effective on Bao Yong."
Sun Baoli said with a helpless expression, "Bao Yong has been ill for a long time, and the foreign object in his brain is deeply rooted and cannot be moved. The old doctor said that in this situation, he must not take any drugs, otherwise it will cause abnormal changes. It's just that I can control this child Bao Yong and keep him from causing trouble. Although he is like two different people day and night, he can have special abilities in his dreams, which can sometimes be useful. In your eyes, he is a patient, but now in my eyes, he is a treasure. Since he cannot be cured, let him be. Living this life with two personalities is not what he wants, but it is his fate."
Tang Yu said, "During the day, were they really completely unaware of what happened at night?"
Sun Litong said, "Yes, although I have some impression of it, I just consider it a dream, and I have forgotten most of it. For them, day and night are two different worlds."
Song Hao and Tang Yu were also deeply moved. After chatting for a while, they bid farewell to Sun Litong and left, agreeing to come with Sun Baoli the next day.
On the way back, Song Hao was still puzzled as to how the acupuncture had managed to displace the foreign object in Sun Baoli's brain, even though it was related to the abnormal electrical current that had occurred earlier. He told Tang Yu about it, but Tang Yu was also puzzled.
Seeing a figure moving ahead, they knew it was Sun Baoyong returning. Fearing to startle him, the two quickly moved aside. After Sun Baoyong had passed, Song Hao and Tang Yu came out.
"How pitiful! They don't know what they did during the night." Tang Yu shook her head and sighed.
Watching Sun Baoyong's departing figure, Song Hao said, "Do you think Sun Baoyong's illness is incurable, or is it that his father is unwilling to treat him and wants to preserve his extraordinary abilities in his illness?"
Tang Yu was also bewildered upon hearing this.
Upon returning to Sun Baoli's house, they found that Sun Baoli had already gone to sleep again. Song Hao and Tang Yu also rested in another room.
The three of them got up early the next morning.
Tang Yu asked tentatively, "Brother Sun, what kind of dream did you have last night?"
Sun Baoli said, "I slept soundly and didn't dream about anything. It seems that Dr. Song's acupuncture and medicine are working. I haven't felt any headache these past two days."
Song Hao said, "I heard from the villagers that you have an uncle who lives in the East Mountain."