Chapter 21: Bearing the Burden of Life and Death, the Healer's Dilemma!

By the time he stepped into the main hall of the medicine shop, his wife's fingers were already on the weak man's pulse. She sighed in relief and said:

"This injury is severe but not immediately fatal; instead, it allows enough time for healing. It can be treated easily by someone capable of applying acupuncture with their Inner Strength. Unfortunately, such individuals are a rarity around here. Perhaps they intended to leave you to die slowly in regret and fear without knowing who would be so merciless."

The constable's facial expression changed, but he said nothing and simply stated:

"Just a petty thief. Please, Madame, proceed with the needles."

The woman nodded slightly and turned to call out to Wang Anfeng:

"Anfeng, come here."

The young man walked over to her and saw his genteel aunt motioning for him to lean in closer. She whispered something into his ear. Wang Anfeng's face first showed slight shock, then he nodded slightly, listening intently. After a few short minutes, she raised her head and said:

"Anfeng's cultivation of Inner Strength is sufficient, but he has never studied medicine, let alone the art of acupuncture. I can guide him in applying the needles, but there are many risks involved."

"...May I ask what the chances of success are?"

"Survival or instant death, it's no better than a fifty-fifty chance."

"Instant death?!"

The constable's complexion turned pale, his face showing a struggle. After a long silence, he gestured for Zhao Daniu to come closer and whispered a few words. The latter's face flickered between sorrow and shock, ultimately retreating in silence. The constable then bowed deeply to Li Kangsheng's wife and said:

"May I know Madame's esteemed name?"

"I dare not. My surname is Feng, and my given name is Lan."

The constable murmured the name softly, then turned and said sternly, "Zhao Daniu, if the Heavens take me, Zhang Zhengyang, it will be because the old man above misses me. Remember to burn paper offerings and pour libations every month. If any anger is directed towards Madame Feng, Master Li, or this young brother, I won't let you off, and I won't partake in a single drop of the offerings you burn!"

Zhao Daniu forced a smile and replied, "What are you talking about, brother? I'm not someone who can't recognize kindness. We have strict military discipline; you've still got punishments for me that haven't been carried out. How could I simply leave?"

Zhang Zhengyang laughed heartily upon hearing this; despite his weakness, he radiated a touch of heroism, then he leaned forward, gritting his teeth and said:

"Please, proceed with the needles, Madame Feng and young brother!"

Feng Lan nodded slightly and picked up the Silver Needle. Standing up, she said:

"Then please, Constable Zhang, move to the inner room. Just now, Zhao Daniu caused quite a commotion outside, attracting many onlookers. It's no longer suitable for instructing Anfeng here."

Zhang Zhengyang had no objections and was supported by Zhao Daniu and a few others as he followed Feng Lan and Li Kangsheng into the room for acupuncture, which was barely ten square meters in size. It contained a bed, upon which Feng Lan sat. She untied two ropes from the bedposts, and heavy black curtains fell from either side, separating the inside from outside. She then said:

"Constable Zhang, we should observe the separation of men and women. My husband will locate the acupuncture points outside the curtain, and Anfeng will apply the needles. Change out of your clothes and extend your right arm. I need to take your pulse constantly to prevent any mishaps. We need quiet in order to insert the needles, so please have Mr. Zhao and the others stand guard outside, making sure no one disturbs us."

With the Silver Needle in hand, Feng Lan's words lacked the usual gentle grace and instead carried a hint of valiance. Zhao Daniu hurriedly nodded and repeatedly said:

"Madame, rest assured, we won't let a single person in!" But Zhang Zhengyang laughed and replied, "You'll have to find at least one person to come inside."

Zhao Daniu was taken aback, seeing that Zhang Zhengyang could still joke lightened his heart slightly. He wanted to reply, but fearing any delay, he held his tongue, knelt down with a thud, and kowtowed several times to Li Kangsheng and Wang Anfeng. Getting up, he said, "Brother…" His voice trailed off, his eyes reddening, unable to continue. He turned and stepped outside, standing guard at the door like a sentinel.

As Zhao Daniu and the others left, Zhang Zhengyang's facial muscles twitched violently, and his face immediately became much paler. Wang Anfeng was taken aback, then heard his uncle beside him sigh:

"To endure such pain and still manage a joke, the constable's willpower is admirable. Please, quickly remove your clothes."

Zhang Zhengyang endured the pain and raised his hand to undo his Iron Armor, lifting his inner garment with a bitter smile and said,

"There's no other way... my brothers are all stubborn. If they see me in agony, they would probably be more scared than me. I can suffer alone, but why should I drag them into worrying with me? If I must die, then so be it, but to let my brothers share in the fear and dread, that would be truly despicable."

As his voice faded, the inner garment was also lifted, revealing his strong and sturdy torso covered in scars from various blades, yet his back was unmarked. Li Kangsheng helped Zhang Zhengyang over, reaching his hand past the curtain. The latter felt two ice-cold fingers resting on his pulse and then heard a voice from inside saying,

"Administering acupuncture is a perilous task. We must first activate the body's Vital Energy. Husband, point out the Qi Sea and Conception Vessel acupoints. Anfeng, use the third acupuncture method Auntie just taught you, and prick these two points."

Hearing this, Wang Anfeng's heart suddenly began to beat faster; he had only spoken before because he was thinking about whether it was possible to save a life, but now upon the cusp of action, nervousness surged within him.

The life and future of this proud man before him, as well as the reputation his uncle and aunt had built over many years, was now resting on his shoulders!

He had never experienced this before, and for a moment, he felt his arms stiffening, immobilized for several breaths, until Li Kangsheng tensed the skin over Zhang Zhengyang's Qi Sea acupoint with two fingers, jolting him back to reality.

He hurriedly reached out to grab a needle from atop the white cloth, but applied too much force, accidentally pricking his own fingertip. Crimson blood beaded and fell onto the white cloth, spreading a few traces.

Li Kangsheng's heart skipped a beat by the side, but Zhang Zhengyang, watching Wang Anfeng's stiff needle-grabbing motion, laughed and said,

"Little brother, why so nervous? Just pretend you're sticking a needle into a big chunk of fat pork."

Wang Anfeng took a deep breath, steadied his nerves, and turned to look at the acupoints. Holding the Silver Needle between his fingers, he was unsure of how to proceed. Although mature for his age, he was after all only thirteen years old. He was not some prodigy born with innate brilliance; how could he remain calm and unruffled in a life-or-death situation, not a hardened old soldier who had rolled through the Blood Sea, who could scoff at life and death.

The more he told himself he couldn't afford to make a mistake, the harder it became for him to make a move. Cold sweat formed on his forehead as the Three-inch Silver Needle felt as heavy as a thousand catties in his grip.

The room was deathly silent; one could hear their own heartbeat, the frightfully harsh breathing of everyone present, as if ghosts from the netherworld were whispering in one's ear. The oppressive curtain felt like a cloud covering the earth while the bulging veins on a sturdy wrist looked like writhing, screaming broken snakes. Zhang Zhengyang's pallid face was weakly smiling, but suddenly, it turned into a bloodied, horrifying visage with eyes wide open staring at Wang Anfeng, dead without closing their eyes. There was silence outside without a single sound, only the pace of footsteps growing faster and faster.

Pitter-patter,

Pitter-patter,

Pitter-patter pitter-patter pitter-patter pitter—

"Insert the needle!"

Amid the inner turmoil and impatience, a sudden loud shout rang beside Wang Anfeng's ear. His wrist quivered, and unwittingly the needle pierced the Qi Sea, with Inner Strength flowing through the Silver Needle straight into Zhang Zhengyang's body. This point, situated on the governor vessel, was the sea of all energies and could greatly replenish Vital Energy. Zhang Zhengyang's expression eased a bit, and then Feng Lan's voice echoed again,

"Anfeng, calm your spirit and focus your resolve. With no desires, no demands, this is the moment of truth. Your Inner Qi is limited, and his time is running short. The second needle, the Conception Vessel, use the supplementing method to insert the needle!"

With no room for second thoughts in this life-or-death moment, Wang Anfeng bit his teeth, moved his wrist, and placed the Silver Needle where Li Kangsheng pointed. With a light flick of his finger, a gentle hum was heard. Without time to observe Zhang Zhengyang's face, Feng Lan's voice came again, "We've opened the essence, but we must disperse the built-up Inner Qi and blood stasis before it exhausts; otherwise, sudden death will occur. Anfeng, spleen meridian of foot Taiyin on the inner thigh, use the reducing method to insert the needle!"

Wang Anfeng, teeth clenched, made his move – a flash of cold light streaked, and a five-inch needle was thrust into the acupoint. Pain appeared on Zhang Zhengyang's face, yet before Anfeng could worry, Feng Lan spoke again, her urgent and melodious tone quickening,

"Blood Sea!"

"Kong Zui! Xi Men!"

"Di Ji! Zhong Du! Liang Qiu! Wai Qiu!"

The clear commands came so swiftly there was scarcely any break between them. Wang Anfeng's eyes widened; his mind had no time for fear or concern. He seemed to have gone deaf, hearing nothing but Auntie's increasingly urgent, clear voice.

His brow was drenched in cold sweat, yet his hands remained exceptionally steady, each Silver Needle falling like a star from the sky, penetrating Zhang Zhengyang's body, until with a final loud shout, as the needle entered, every needle on his body sang in chorus, Zhang Zhengyang suddenly turned over, coughing up a mouthful of dark blood, his complexion instantly turning pale.

Men waiting outside rushed in at once, as if opening a portal of constraint; the sounds of wind, water, and noise mingled together, bombarding his senses. It was only then that Wang Anfeng felt utterly weak, unconsciously covered in cold sweat.