The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sword

Chapter 12 (Acupuncture and medicines cannot cure)

Zhang Wuji was so out of school in acupuncture practice that blood started to spurt from Kai Yuan Chang Yuchun's acupoints. Located in the stomach, it is one of the vital points of the body. Thus, the sight of blood flowing made Zhang Wuji panic at once. Suddenly, someone laughed loudly behind him. The boy turned around and saw Hu Qingniu standing with her hands behind his back, watching the desperate attempt to stem the flow of blood with a grin on his face.

Holding Zhang Wuji's wrist, Hu Qingniu suddenly realized that the boy's pulse was pounding in such an unusual way that she couldn't help but notice that strange and irregular beat. Could it be that this child has been attacked by the 'Mystical Palm Technique of Profound Darkness'? he asked himself. But this technique was long gone so no one else knew how to use it. If not the Mystic Palms Technique of Profound Darkness, what would it be? However, there was no technique that could produce a cold and deadly poison like this. It is amazing that the child has not died, despite having been poisoned for a long time. Yes, that old Taoist Zhang Sanfeng must have used his rich internal strength to keep him alive. Now, with the poison clinging to his internal organs, only a god could save his life. He picked up the boy and put him back in the chair.

Over time, Zhang Wuji regained his senses and saw Hu Qingniu sitting opposite him, staring at the fire on the stove he used to boil the medicinal drink. On the other hand, Chang Yuchun was lying on the grass outside the door. Each one was busy with his own thoughts, no one said anything to anyone else.

After devoting his entire life to the study of medicine and healing, Hu Qingniu was able to cure the most terrible diseases and ailments. As a result, he was known as the 'Sage of Healing', providing outstanding evidence of his skills and abilities. However, he had never seen the poison created by the Mystic Palms Technique of Profound Darkness in his entire life, and the long-term survivor who had the deadly poison in his internal organs was even more unbelievable. Like a wine lover who finds a delicious and voracious drink that smells the flesh, how could he miss such an invaluable opportunity to show his prowess? After thinking for half a day, the eccentric doctor, who had initially refused to treat Zhang Wuji, finally found a good solution to his personal dilemma: First, I will cure him. Later,

However, it was easier said than done to remove the poison in the boy's internal organs. After more than two shichen (four hours) thought deeply, Hu Qingniu finally took out twelve bronze pieces, she said, gathering his internal strength and starting to insert small pieces into the twelve different acupoints on Zhang Wuji's body. These included Zhong Ji, Tian Tu and Jian Jing acupoints on his stomach, neck and shoulders. Zhong Ji acupoints are located at the confluence of the three Yin Channels on the Ren Legs and Channel, while the Tian Tu acupoints are located at the confluence of the Yinwei and Ren Channels. As for Jian Jing's acupoints, it was found at the meeting of the Shaoyang Hand Channel

As a result, the twelve bronze pieces served to block each of the Twelve Regular Channels and the Eight Outstanding Channels on the boy's body. The five major internal organs of the heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys - as well as the pericardium, are considered elements in traditional Chinese medical practice, while the six secondary organs of the stomach, colon, small intestine, are considered elements of traditional Chinese medical practice, the gallbladder, bladder and Three Visceral Cavities are considered Yang elements. Together, these are known as the Twelve Regular Organs. Pulse Ren, Du, Chong, Dai, Yinwei, Yangwei

This Daily Organ Blocking and Extraordinary Throbbing had an impact on the poison content in Zhang Wuji's body in various locations. Then, Hu Qingniu burned the dried moxa leaves on the Yun Men and Zhongfu acupoints on the boy's shoulder, as well as Tian Fu, Xia Bai, Chi Ze, Kong Zui, Lie Que, Jing Qu, and so on, Da Yuan, Yu Ji and Shao Shang acupoints along his arms. These eleven acupoints are collectively known as the Taiyin Line of the Lung Hand, so the heat from burning the moxa leaves can remove some of the toxins there. To Zhang Wuji, the severe discomfort this heat-based treatment caused was very different from the intense shivering he suffered every time he had a poison attack. After the Taiyin Hand Channel of the Lung is completed, the Yangming Foot Channel of the Stomach and the Jueyin Hand Channel of the Pericardium is next….

Hu Qingniu did not care whether the treatment caused pain to Zhang Wuji, and the use of moxa leaves by him immediately left burning black patches all over the boy's body. On his part, Zhang Wuji refused to show a single sign of his weakness: You want to make me scream in pain, but I won't even make a fuss in the slightest. Therefore, he smiled and spoke as if nothing was wrong, involving Hu Qingniu in an animated discussion about the various acupoints and their location. Although he knew almost nothing about medical practice, his godfather, Xie Xun, had taught him various methods of blocking and releasing acupoints as well as his position-altering techniques. As a result, he knew exactly where each acupuncture point was located. Such knowledge is nothing compared to the extraordinary understanding of the famous doctor, of course, but because it touches little on the principles of treatment, it is not, it served to bring Zhang Wuji into Hu Qingniu's good books. As a result, the two chatted nonstop as the doctor burned more moxa leaves on the boy's skin.

Zhang Wuji did not understand almost everything the doctor told him, yet he wanted to show the man that "My Wudang School knows all these things as well". So, every once in a while, he would make mistakes and argue his point, while Hu Qingniu took the time to explain those mistakes in detail. Over time, the doctor realized that "this little fellow was just saying nonsense in total ignorance", so all his explanations were a waste of time and effort. Fortunately, Hu Qingniu had no friends in this remote valley, except for the two courtyards that helped her cook, clean, and make medicinal drinks. As a result, she found herself appreciating the rambling discussion about acupuncture points put forward by her young patients.

By the time Hu Qingniu finished with the moxibustion of all the acupoints associated with the Twelve Regular Organs, it was already dusk. The pages served rice and vegetable dinners on the table before giving food trays to Chang Yuchun, who was still lying on the grass.

That night, Chang Yuchun slept outside, and Zhang Wuji did not bother to make a single request from Hu Qingniu to let his poor nephew in. Instead, he came out at bedtime and lay down beside Chang Yuchun as a tacit indication of his willingness to share in the man's matters. Hu Qingniu pretended not to see what was happening, yet she could not help but be amazed by the actions of the boy: This little fellow is indeed different from the other children.

The next morning, Hu Qingniu began moxibustion treatment on Zhang Wuji's Eight Extraordinary Channels, taking nearly half a day before she was finished. This stagnant pulse had no benefit from the free-flowing arteries and veins flowing through the Twelve Regular Organs, so it was much more difficult to remove the toxins that had found their way there. Afterwards, Hu Qingniu prepared a recipe that used the opposite method to fight the cold with something colder. As a result, Zhang Wuji trembled and shivered for half a day after consuming the drink, before appearing with a noticeable improvement in health.

Then, Hu Qingniu spent some of her time treating Zhang Wuji with acupuncture. The boy tried to provoke the doctor to treat Chang Yuchun as well, but Hu Qingniu did not react much to his words, except to say, “My nickname, 'Couple Healer of the Butterfly Valley', is', not entirely true, how could I call myself 'Sage' in vain? I prefer it if people refer to me as 'The One Who Ignores the Dying One'. "

Back then, he happened to be inserting a needle into Wu Shu's acupoint between Zhang Wuji's waist and thigh. This acupuncture point is located at the meeting of the Shaoyang Foot Channel and Dai Channel, about one and a half cun (5 cm) beside the urinary tract.

"The Dai channel is definitely one of the strangest things in one's body," Zhang Wuji said. "Mr Hu, did you know that there are people who do not have Dai?"

"Junk!" answer Hu Qingniu. “How can someone not have Dai?”

The boy said an absurd thing, of course, but he continued, “There are a lot of people under the sun, so there are any oddities. Besides, I don't see much purpose in Dai's existence. "

“Yes, it is true that Dai is more special than other body channels,” said Hu Qingniu, “but how can you say that it has no purpose? Mediocre doctors who do not understand its function often prescribe the wrong treatment and medication for it. I have written a book called 'A Discussion of the Dai Channel'. Read it and you will understand why it exists.” He disappeared into the inner room and appeared moments later with a hand-written thin book with yellowed pages, which he gave to his young patients.

Zhang Wuji opened the first page and read: "The Twelve Channels of Regular Organs and the Eight Incredible Pulses flow throughout the body, but the Dai Channels only circulate in the abdomen ..." The book goes on to comment on the mistakes doctors have made since ancient times: In the 'Fourteen Channel Function', Dai is said to contain four acupuncture points, but in 'Successful Acupuncture', ' Dai is said to contain four acupuncture points', Dai is described as having six acupoints. However, nothing was true, as his acupoints numbered ten. Two of them are so hidden that they are usually missed.

Zhang Wuji did not understand many of the things he read in the book, but he realized that the content and views were extraordinary. As a result, he used the opportunity to discuss some of the mistakes that the ancient healers had made.

Hu Qingniu was very happy as she answered all the questions and comments of the boy until she finished inserting the golden needle into each of the ten acupoints in the Dai Channel. After telling Zhang Wuji to take a break, he added, “I have another book, 'Manual Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Meridians', which records all the grueling research I have done over the years. " He went into the inner room again and came out with a thick, hand-written book so thick that it had to be separated into twelve smaller books.

Years of living in isolation in a remote valley had turned Hu Qingniu into an extremely lonely man. Even though he had a constant stream of patients, they were only interested in extolling praise for his unparalleled ability as a healer of a million ailments. Unfortunately, he had grown tired of hearing these words over twenty years ago. As a physician, Hu Qingniu did not boast of herself for her outstanding abilities, but in the research, discoveries, and techniques she had accumulated during her lifetime. He knew that he had incredible achievements in his hands, yet there was no one to share, except himself, the lonely desolate valley dweller. Therefore, when Zhang Wuji showed pleasure in reading the books he wrote, Hu Qingniu felt as if she had found a friend who could understand her heart. Therefore, he was very happy to share his best work with this young patient who had no inkling of what medicine and practice were.

When Zhang Wuji opened his book, he found that each page was filled with characters as small as a fly's head, detailing acupuncture points, herbal recipes and acupuncture methods for a bewildering array of ailments and ailments. A thought suddenly popped into his head: If I continue reading, maybe I will find a way to heal Brother Chang's wounds. He picked up the ninth book, labeled 'Pugilistic Arts', opened a section on 'Treating Injuries Caused by the Palm Techniques', and began his search. There was the Red Sand Palm Technique, Iron Sand Palm Technique, Toxic Sand Palm Technique, Silk Hand Palm Technique, Mountain-Sand Palm Opening Technique, Tablet Breaking Technique… All types of palm injuries are listed, along with a detailed explanation of their symptoms and treatment. After reading 180 different types, the words 'Heart Breaking Hand Technique' appeared.

Overjoyed, Zhang Wuji studied the descriptions below carefully, only to find that there were more details about the Heartbreaking Hand Palm Technique itself than the method of treating the wounds it caused. In fact, only this exists: “Treating the four acupoints of Zi Gong, Zhong Ting, Guan Yuan and Tian Chi, and triggering changes to Yin , Yang and the Five Elements. Prescribe drugs to the patient's joy, anger, worry, thoughts, and fears, according to the five cold, hot, dry, wet, and wind conditions. "

Traditional Chinese medicine practices are not bound by a rigid set of rules, as treatments vary according to the patient's condition. Therefore, the doctor should consider a list of criteria during treatment, including climate (cold or hot), time (day or night), condition and location of injury or disease (exposed, closed, closed, and, internal or external), body functions (too much or too little), progress (early, middle or late), activity level, gender, age, the difference between a capable doctor and a mediocre one was as great as the clouds and mud. Zhang Wuji did not know all of this, of course, but he read the treatment for the Heartbreaking Hand Palm Technique a few more times and stored it in memory. The last page of the section 'Treating Injuries Caused by the Palm Hand Technique' describes the Mystic Palm Technique of Profound Darkness. Under the subtitle 'Treatment', there is only one word: "Nothing".

Zhang Wuji closed the book and placed it carefully on the table. “Master Hu,” said, “'Manual Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Meridians' is so profound that I cannot understand much about what I have read. May I ask: What does it mean to 'trigger change in Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements'? ”

Hu Qingniu started her explanation, but suddenly turned around and said, “Are you asking me how Chang Yuchun's injuries can be healed? Ha-ha, I'll talk about anything, except this. "

Since there was no other choice, Zhang Wuji could only open various medical books to get answers. Fortunately, Hu Qingniu allowed her to read all the books she wanted. As a result, the boy became so engrossed in his quest that he forgot to sleep and eat, not only reading the ten books the doctor had written, but also other medical works like 'The Internal Classic of the Yellow Emperor', 'Hua Tuo's Internal System Diagram', 'Wang Shuhe's Artery and Vein Guide', 'Sun Simiao's Thousand Gold Recipes', 'The Thousand Gold Book of Medical Assistance' and the 'Disclosure of Wang Tao for External Care'. Every time he came across a passage that seemed to relate to Chang Yuchun's description of treatment, he took the time to study it carefully. Meanwhile, Hu Qingniu continued her treatment, using acupuncture and moxibustion twice a day, in the morning and evening, to remove the toxins in her body.

A few days passed this way. Although Zhang Wuji had read many books and memorized many principles and recipes, he was still too young and less educated to fully understand everything he had read.

Then, the sixth day of his arrival in the Butterfly Valley dawned. Hu Qingniu had told them that Chang Yuchun's injuries should be treated within seven days, or else he would lose all of his martial arts abilities even if his life was saved. The man had been lying on the grass for six days and six nights, and suddenly it started raining. However, Hu Qingniu was as cold as ever, turning a blind eye towards Chang Yuchun and a muddy puddle that began to form around him. Zhang Wuji became very angry, thinking: All the medical books I have read, except the ones you have written yourself, doctors must have a kind heart that seeks to bring benefit to mankind. What's the point of having all these skills if you ignore death? 'What 'A capable doctor' are you?

That night, it rained more. As the lightning struck and the thunder roared, Zhang Wuji gritted his teeth with determination and thought: I should give it a try, even if it ends up making Brother Chang's wound even worse. He took out eight golden needles from Hu Qingniu's closet, walked towards Chang Yuchun and said, “Brother Chang, I spent the past few days reading as many medical books as Mr. Hu could. Although I don't understand everything, your treatment can no longer be delayed. Therefore, I will take a dangerous risk and try some acupuncture on you. If an unfortunate accident occurs, I will not continue my own life."

Chang Yuchun laughed and replied, “What are you talking about? Quickly stab me with the needle. If I survive, we can take advantage of the opportunity to humiliate Uncle Hu. If I die from two or three needles, it is still much better than suffering in this mud puddle!”

Zhang Wuji's hand trembled as he touched Kai Yuan's acupoints on Chang Yuchun's body and began inserting thin gold needles into it. He had never practiced acupuncture before, so he had only imitated what he had seen Hu Qingniu doing these past few days. Unfortunately, the doctor's needles are so delicate and pliable that they cannot be used by anyone without a large degree of internal strength. Without realizing it, Zhang Wuji exerted an outside force on the needle, causing it to bend without entering Chang Yuchun's flesh. The boy had no choice but to pull her out and try again. Properly performed acupuncture would never draw blood, but Zhang Wuji was so out of school in his practice that blood started to spurt from Kai Yuan Chang Yuchun's acupoints. Located in the stomach, it is one of the vital points of the body. So, uh,

Suddenly, someone laughed loudly behind him. The boy turned around and saw Hu Qingniu standing with her hands behind his back, watching the desperate attempt to stem the flow of blood with a grin on his face. Zhang Wuji said, “Master Hu, Brother Chang's Kai Yuan acupoints bleed profusely. What should I do?"

"I know exactly what to do," Hu Qingniu replied, "but why should I tell you?"

Lost on the idea, the boy replied, “We will do a one-for-one exchange now. Please save Brother Chang as soon as possible, and I will die before you take his place. "

“I have said before that I will not take care of him,” Hu Qingniu said coldly, “so, I will not! I'm just a man who ignores death, not a Non-Permanent Ghost dragging people to their doom, so what death benefit do you give me? I will not save one Chang Yuchun even if ten Zhang Wuji dies in his place. "

Knowing that it was only a waste of precious time to argue with the obstinate doctor, Zhang Wuji began to look for a solution. The gold needle is too soft to use, but no other type of needle is available. After thinking for a moment, he broke a piece of bamboo and used a small knife to cut it into several slices like a toothpick. Then, he inserted those slices into the acupuncture points of Zi Gong, Zhong Ting, Guan Yuan and Tian Chi Chang Yuchun. Although these bamboo slices were much stiffer than gold needles, they were still pliable enough not to bleed when entering into various acupoints. A while later, Chang Yuchun spewed out a few large mouthfuls of dark-colored blood.

Zhang Wuji did not know if Chang Yuchun's reaction was due to the worsening of his injuries, or the success of his bamboo “jarum” in removing the clots that had formed in the man's blood. Turning around, the boy discovered that Hu Qingniu still regarded him with disdain, but a hint of approval also appeared on his scornful face. Finally convinced that his treatment was not wrong, he rushed into the room, looking for some medical books and writing prescriptions for his patients. Although he had learned from books that certain herbs could cure certain diseases, he had no idea what the dry rhizome of Rehmannia, the root of the Chinese Thorowax, the root of Achyranthes and the bile of the bear was. However, he opened one of the pages and said confidently.

The page loaded the recipe, showed it to Hu Qingniu and asked if it was okay to continue. The physician sneered and said, “What a joke! What joke! Please make the soup. If he hadn't died drinking it, there wouldn't be any more dead people on earth."

Zhang Wuji immediately took the recipe and reduced the number of herbs used by half. Then, the courtyard began to disassemble the medicine, until a bowl of soup was produced. Bringing a thick and stinging drink into Chang Yuchun's mouth, Zhang Wuji held back his tears and said, "Brother Chang, I really don't know if this bowl of medicine will bring good or harm ..."

“Excellent, outstanding!” chang Yuchun said with a laugh. "This is what I call the 'blind healer who heals blind horses'." Closing his eyes, he lowered his head and swallowed every drop in the bowl.

That night, Chang Yuchun felt as if a million knives were slicing through his stomach. He also continued to vomit blood. Zhang Wuji remained by his side the entire night, challenging lightning, lightning, and rain to guard his friend. When morning finally came, the rain stopped. Chang Yuchun's vomiting became less frequent and the volume of blood he vomited reduced. The color of the blood also changed gradually from dark to purple to red.

“Sister, your medicine did not kill me at all,” Chang Yuchun said happily. In fact, I think my injuries are starting to improve.

My recipe worked? zhang Wuji asked, barely daring to trust his eyes and ears.

Chang Yuchun laughed and said, “My late father must have known that something like this was going to happen, so he named me 'Chang Yuchun' - Frequent, Meet, meet, Spring - so I will often meet a great master like you, who will put a magical spring back in my dying step. But I have to say that your recipe is a bit heavy. My stomach felt like it had been pierced by dozens of knives after drinking the drink. "

"Yes, yes," Zhang Wuji replied. “I think I'm a little overreacting.”

It turns out that the dose is not just a little more than usual. In fact, it was several times higher than what was normally needed. In addition, no auxiliary ingredients are used to make the drug more friendly in the stomach, so the thick drink begins to work to heal the very strong immediately after swallowing. Although Zhang Wuji had found the right potion for his friend's wound from Hu Qingniu's books, he did not have a single clue about the principle of 'Master-Helper-Messenger' guiding the use of herbs. If Chang Yuchun's body wasn't too strong, he would have died from the potion.

When Hu Qingniu came out of her hut after waking up and washing her face, she was surprised to see Chang Yuchun shining with renewed health. One of them is intelligent and courageous, while the other is extraordinarily strong in body and soul, he said inwardly. As a result, the injuries caused by the Heart Breaking Hand Palm Technique had healed.

After this success, Zhang Wuji directly prepared a recipe for ginseng, pilose antlers, tubers from multiflower knotweed and poria to strengthen Chang Yuchun's body and aid his recovery.. After ten days or so of consuming the high-quality potion that Hu Qingniu had stored in her home, Chang Yuchun made so much progress that she finally said to Zhang Wuji, “Sister, my wound has healed completely, so there is no more reason for you to accompany me day and night. We'll split up here. ”

The experience of life and death the past month has turned the man and the man into friends ready to die for each other. Therefore, Zhang Wuji was very reluctant to part with Chang Yuchun. However, he knew that the man could not stay by his side all his life, so he agreed with tears.

“Don't feel bad, Little Sister,” Chang Yuchun said. “I'll be back and visiting you in three months. If the poison in your body is gone by then, I will take you to Wudang Mountain, so that you can see your grandfather again. "

Then, he went into the hut, bowed in front of Hu Qingniu and said, “My wounds have healed. Even though Brother Zhang is taking care of me, he is still guided by your medical book, Uncle Hu. I've also taken quite a lot of the herbs and expensive medicines you have. "

Nodding in recognition, Hu Qingniu replied, “That's nothing. You may have recovered from your injury, but you have also lost forty years of life. "

"What?" chang Yuchun asked, as he did not understand the doctor's statement.

“Alright,” replied Hu Qingniu, “according to the condition of your body and mind, you should live more than eighty years. However, the little one is using some of the wrong medical prescriptions and wrong acupuncture techniques on you. As a result, you will be sick all over the body every time it rains. At about forty years of age, you will finally go and see King Hades. "

Chang Yuchun laughed out loud. "A man lives to serve his country" he said. “If I can do a job with such a feat, thirty years of life is enough. Why do I need forty? A person can live up to a hundred years, but if he does not achieve anything, his life is just a waste of food. ”

Hu Qingniu nodded again, but she did not say anything more. According to Chang Yuchun's Legend in the History of the Ming Dynasty, the man eventually died of a sudden illness at the age of forty.

Zhang Wuji escorted Chang Yuchun all the way to the entrance of the Butterfly Valley before the two separated in tears. Then, the boy made a silent decision in his heart: My bumbling treatment and treatment caused Brother Chang to lose forty years of life. Even though he has hurt my hand, can he also not enjoy the benefits from it? I had to find a way to recover his previous health.

Since then, Hu Qingniu treated Zhang Wuji with acupuncture and herbs daily, trying to reduce and remove the deadly poison in his body. Meanwhile, the boy continued to study the doctor's books and memorize the principles behind the use of drugs and herbs. Whenever he found something he didn't understand, he would ask the doctor for help. His desire to learn delighted Hu Qingniu so much that she would explain everything in great detail. Sometimes, the boy's questions were so strange that it caused the man to see things in a way he had never thought of before. Hu Qingniu had originally planned to kill Zhang Wuji after his wound healed, but she immediately felt the young man's death would take the only person she could really talk to in the valley. Because of that,

A few months passed. One day, Hu Qingniu suddenly discovered that nothing had happened when Guan Chong's acupoints on Zhang Wuji's ring finger were pricked with needles. Qing Leng Yuan's acupoints two cun (6.66 cm) above his elbow and Si Zhu Kong's acupoints in his eyebrow cavity also did not respond to the syringe. These three points are part of the Shaoyang Hand Channel of the Three Visceral Cavities. Named Upper, Middle and Lower respectively, these cavities are described as the remarkable parts of organs in the body in medical books. Despite his painstaking thinking and various incredible techniques, Hu Qingniu was unable to remove the poison that had found its way into the Visceral Cavity of the boy. Result of, from,

Very grateful for his efforts, Zhang Wuji said, “Master Hu, you have done your best. Everyone on earth has to die someday, so this is just an indication that my time has come. You really don't need to damage your own health for the sake of my health. "

Hu Qingniu snorted in disdain and said, “You hate the Ming and our Eagle Sect, so when have I made the effort to save your life? But my failure to cure your illness will definitely ruin my reputation as 'The Healing Father of the Butterfly Valley'. So, I have to make sure that you are healed first. Then I'll kill you. "

An unintentional chill ran down the boy's back, as he was aware that doctors would never overturn his own decision. “Because the toxins in my body do not disappear, I will eventually die,” he said. “So you don't have to lift a finger against me. Sigh, everyone under the sun seems to have only one wish - that everyone should die before they are truly happy. So, they learned the art of pugilism just so they could get everyone killed. "

To his surprise, Hu Qingniu remained silent. After gazing at the sky outside his door for a long time, he said in a soft voice, “When I was young, he said, I devoted all my heart to the study of medicine and aspired to bring hope and benefit to mankind, but I soon discovered how wrong I was when a man I had saved turned around and hurt me badly. He was a young man poisoned by the poison of a golden silkworm in the Miao Guizhou Settlement. This particular poison was so powerful that its victims would inevitably suffer extremely painful deaths. After three days and nights without much effort to sleep, I finally managed to cure him. Next, we became foster brothers, and I gave her my sister's hand to marry. But he eventually caused my sister's death. Do you know who he is? He was now the leading leader of a famous and upright clan! "

The pain and sadness on Hu Qingniu's face began to fill Zhang Wuji's heart with unexpected compassion for him: So it was this tragic experience that turned him into a cold-hearted man who ignored death. Who is this ungrateful unfaithful with the wolf's heart and the dog's lungs? She asked.

The healer gritted his teeth in anger and replied, "He .. he is none other than the leader of the Hua Mountain School, Xianyu Tong."

"Why don't you ask him to handle the matter?" ask Zhang Wuji again.

“I have searched for it three times,” Hu Qingniu replied with a sigh, “but I always lose every time. In fact, I almost got killed in our last duel, because this man is very skilled in martial arts. He was also very intelligent and resourceful, so he was known as 'The Shrewd Strategist'. I'm really not a match for him. Moreover, as the leader of the Hua Mountain School, he had many subordinates as he wished. Our Ming Sect, on the other hand, has been torn apart by internal strife in recent years. All the top boxers in our Sect have fought each other, so there was no one who could help me back then. Besides, I was too embarrassed to ask others for help. I fear that this complaint will never be corrected. Sigh, my poor brother .. Our parents died when we were young,

He is actually not a cold, sour and heartless man, Zhang Wuji thought.

Suddenly, Hu Qingniu raised her voice and said, “You can't bring up this matter anymore. If a single word were to leak out, I would make you suffer between life and death for the rest of your life! "

The boy opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything, his heart softened. After all, the doctor's tragic experience was not beneath his own. "I won't say anything" she finally agreed.

Hu Qingniu stroked the boy's hair, sighed and added, "Pity, pity!" Then, he turned around and headed towards the inner room.

After the unexpected failure to dispose of the poison in the boy's Three Visceral Cavities and the long conversation about his past, Hu Qingniu's attitude towards Zhang Wuji changed. Although he did not mention more about his personal background and issues, the doctor found himself beginning to like his young, caring patients. He was indeed a good friend to the lonely inhabitants of the valley. As a result, Hu Qingniu daily instructed Zhang Wuji about Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements of medical practice as well as the methods and techniques of acupuncture, the lessons that the child ate wholeheartedly. Armed with an extraordinary talent in medicine, Zhang Wuji made commendable progress in studying various books, including 'The Xiama Manual of the Yellow Emperor'.

He intended to say that the boy would die by the time he completed his studies in medicine, so what was the point of showing such perseverance and hard work? However, Zhang Wuji had a very different purpose in his heart. He wanted to learn the best and most effective medical techniques, so that he could help Chang Yuchun regain his lost health. Moreover, he hoped that Yu Daiyan could walk without help. These were the two greatest desires in his heart, so if he could achieve them before his death, he would leave without regret.

+

Life in the valley was peaceful and serene, and the days and weeks passed easily. When Zhang Wuji marked the second anniversary of his stay in the Butterfly Valley, he was already fourteen years old. During these two years, Chang Yuchun visited him several times, with news of Zhang Sanfeng and the outside world. Apparently, the old Taoist priest was so happy to hear the boy's progress that he ordered the boy to stay in the valley until his recovery was complete. In addition, Zhang Sanfeng and his six disciples sent gifts of clothing and other necessities, but they were unable to visit the boy they desperately longed for due to the differences in clan affiliation. Zhang Wuji also missed his grandfather and uncle, and he almost rushed back to Wudang Mountain to meet them. As for the world outside the valley, the Mongolian oppression of Han-China is worsening day by day. Ordinary people did not have enough food, and rising bandits gripped the country. At the same time, the feud between the honest clan and the Evil Sect worsened. Many people were injured and killed on both sides, deepening the grudges between them.

Chang Yuchun only stayed for a few days during each visit, as he seemed to be very busy with the affairs of the Sect.

One night, after reading Wang Haogu's medical book entitled 'Things Are Hard to Be Sure', Zhang Wuji felt so tired that he went to sleep without thinking. When he woke up the next day, his head hurt so much that he thought he was going to get off the flu. As he walked into the hall in search of an anti-flu remedy, he noticed that the sun was shining from the west. Surprised that it was past noon, he thought: I must have been sick to sleep for a long time. He quickly checked his own pulse, but he did not find anything unusual. Have I finally reached the end of my days? he asked himself.

Zhang Wuji went to Hu Qingniu's room and found the door tightly closed. Coughing lightly to get the doctor's attention, she heard the man say: “Wuji, I'm not feeling well today. My throat was very sore, so just continue reading on your own. "

“Ya,” replied the boy, before adding due to worry: “Master, can you allow me to check your throat?”

"That's not necessary," Hu Qingniu answered raucously. “I've seen it with a mirror. Nothing serious, so I've taken bezoar powder and rhino horn. ”

That night, when one of the courtyards was serving Hu Qingniu's dinner in his room, Zhang Wuji walked in and saw that the doctor was lying on the bed with a lethargic-looking face.

“Quick out, all of you!” hu Qingniu said with a wave of her hand. “Do you know what I got? It's pox! ”

Sure enough, there were small red dots all over his face and hands. Zhang Wuji knew that smallpox was a dangerous disease. A mild attack will leave marks all over the face, but a serious attack can lead to death. Although Hu Qingniu was an extremely knowledgeable doctor who could treat her own illness better than anyone else, Zhang Wuji found himself still feeling worried about her.

“You may not enter my room again,” Hu Qingniu continued. “All bowls, chopsticks, cups and dishes I use should be sterilized with boiling water. You and the yard should not mix this equipment with yours. " After thinking for a moment, he added, “Wuji, you should leave the Butterfly Valley and stay outside for half a month or so. I don't want to pass smallpox to you. ”

"No, it's not necessary," Zhang Wuji replied instantly. "You're ill. If I leave now, who will take care of you? After all, I am a little more knowledgeable about medicine than these two pages. "

"I think it's better for you to leave," Hu Qingniu said, but Zhang Wuji refused to be persuaded. Although the man had a privilege, a comfortable relationship had developed between the two of them in the past two years. Moreover, it was not like the character of that boy who ran away while facing a problem. Therefore, Hu Qingniu finally relented and said, “Alright. But you can't go into my room. "

For the next three days, Zhang Wuji inspected Hu Qingniu once in the morning and once again in the evening. Although the doctor sounded a bit hoarse, he seemed to be quite wary. He also has a greater appetite than usual, so his condition does not look serious. Moreover, Hu Qingniu made a daily announcement about the herbs she wanted to consume, as well as the dosage of each. Then, the page will set about decocting the various drinks.

In the afternoon of the fourth day, Zhang Wuji sat down and began reading a chapter in the 'Yellow Emperor Internal Classics', entitled 'Great Discussions on the Management of the Four Powers'. Gradually, he arrived at a passage that read: “Since ancient times, sages have focused on prevention rather than cure of disease. They prefer to deal with problems that have not yet emerged rather than problems that are already deep. Healing a great disease that had damaged and straightened the upheaval that occurred was like digging a well at the point of thirst and forging a weapon at the point of battle - it was too late. ” Nodding in agreement, Zhang Wuji thought: These words are indeed true, for it is too late to dig a well when I am thirsty and forge weapons before I fight. A chaotic country that experienced subsequent peace may have returned to its original stability, but its original strength and strength would have been massively depleted. The disease should also be treated before it arises, but Hu smallpox is an outside disease that cannot be treated before it occurs.

Then, he recalled a passage from a chapter in the same book known as 'The Great Discussion of Yin and Yang Responses': “Doctors start by taking care of the skin, then the flesh, then the nerves, and then the skin, then the Six Secondary Organs and finally the Five Main Organs. He who took care of the Five Main Organs only had half a chance of success. ” A capable doctor should start treating the disease once the symptoms appear, Zhang Wuji told himself. If he waited until his illness ate the Five Main Organs before taking action, his chances of succeeding would drop by half. As for people like me, whose internal system is flooded with poison, we are cursed nine out of ten.

As he praised the wisdom of the ancient healers and reminisced about life since his wounds, Zhang Wuji suddenly heard the sound of horse legs heading into the valley. Moments later, the riders stopped outside the hut. A voice between them exclaimed: "Friends from the martial arts circle seek an audience with the Sage of Healing, Mr. Hu, requesting that he provide treatment for our illness."

Out to take a look, Zhang Wuji saw a dark-skinned man standing in front of his hut. The man held control of three horses in one hand, two of which carried a man covered in blood. The dark-skinned man wore a large bloody bandage on his head, while his right arm was hung around the neck in a sling. They all looked badly injured.

"You came at the most unfortunate moment," Zhang Wuji said. “Master Hu is sick and bedridden, so he cannot offer his services to you. Please see another doctor! "

“But we have driven hundreds of li (1 li \= 500 meters) with our lives hanging on a thread,” said the dark-skinned man. “We can only be saved by Sage of Healing.”

“Master Hu got very serious smallpox,” Zhang Wuji explained. This is the truth, because I dare not deceive you.

"The three of us were seriously injured" said the dark-skinned man again. “Unless we are taken care of by the Healing Sage of Butterfly Valley itself, we will definitely die. Little brother, please report to Mr. Hu on our behalf and find out what the instructions are. "

“Then, may I ask what your family name and honorable name are?” ask Zhang Wuji.

“Our worthless names are not worth mentioning,” replied the dark-skinned man. “Please tell me that we are Xianyu School Leader's students from Mount Hua.” His body shook and he vomited blood.

Zhang Wuji was stunned. He knew that Xianyu Tong from the Hua Mountain School was a great enemy of Hu Qingniu, so he went to the doctor's door and exclaimed, “Master, he said, there are three seriously injured people outside who are seeking your help. They said that they were disciples of the Xianyu School Leader from Mount Hua. "

Hu Qingniu flinched in shock before replying angrily: “I will not treat them! Get rid of them! "

“Ya,” replied the boy. Then, he went back to those injured people and said, “Master Hu is too sick to meet anyone. Please forgive us. "

The dark-skinned man frowned and opened his mouth to beg for help, but before he could say anything, a thin and small man, who had been slumped on one of the horses, had been slumped, raised his head and threw something into the hut. A golden light flashed past Zhang Wuji before stopping on the table. “Take this golden flower and show it to 'That Ignores The Dying',” said the skinny man. “Tell him that we have been hurt by the owner of the golden flower. Now, this fellow will come and make him trouble as well. If 'The One who Ignores the Dying' can cure our illness, the three of us will stay behind and help him fight the enemy. Our pugilistic skills are not good, but three additional helpers are better than none. ”

Zhang Wuji considered the skinny man to be a bit rude, unlike the more polite dark-skinned man. Walking to the table, he saw that the golden flower was actually a kind of projectile. Made entirely of yellow gold, it is exactly the same size and looks like a real plum blossom. The result of his work is so beautiful that the bloom even has a pistil made of platinum. Zhang Wuji reached out to pick it up, only to find that the skinny man had thrown it so strongly that it was embedded in the table. As he appreciated it with a pair of tongs, he thought: This skinny fellow seems to be somewhat of an expert in martial arts, but he ended up being seriously injured by the owner of the golden flower. I better tell Master Hu that this formidable person will cause trouble. Holds a small flower in her hand,

“Show me the weapon,” says Hu Qingniu.

Pushing the door open and gently sweeping the door curtain, Zhang Wuji found the doctor's room dark as night. He knew that smallpox sufferers were afraid of the wind and light, so it was only expected that all the windows would be closed. Hu Qingniu had a piece of black cloth wrapped around her face, revealing only a pair of eyes. Zhang Wuji was surprised: I wonder how the blisters are under the cloth. Will they leave scars on their faces?

“Put the gold flowers on the table and quickly go,” said Hu Qingniu.

Zhang Wuji did as he was told and stepped out of the room. But before he could close the door, Hu Qingniu spoke again: “His third life and death have absolutely nothing to do with me. They also did not have to worry about whether I was still alive or dead. " The golden flower flew across the room, sliced through the door curtain and landed on the floor with a thud. In the past two years, Zhang Wuji had never seen a healer practice martial arts. However, this cultured man turned out to be a highly skilled boxer as well. Even though he was sick, he did not lose any of his boxing abilities.

The boy picked up the golden flower, returned it to the skinny man, shook his head and said, "Master Hu is really seriously ill..."

Suddenly, the sound of legs and wheels sounded. A horse carriage glided into the valley.

As the carriage stopped outside the row of huts, Zhang Wuji saw that it was driven by a pale-faced young man. The man lifted a bald elder out of the carriage and asked, “Is the Butterfly Valley Healing Clerk, Mr Hu, home? The Sacred Hand of the Buddhist Temple Jian Jie of the Kongdong School had come from afar to seek treatment.. ”Before he could say more, he collapsed, dragging the bald old man to the ground with him. Coincidentally, the two horses that pulled the carriage fell down as well, foaming at their mouths.

The condition of these two newcomers and his horse was sufficient proof that they had traveled far without rest, just so that they could seek treatment to Hu Qingniu. The mention of the 'Kongdong School' revived Zhang Wuji's memory of his parents' suicide on Mount Wudang two years earlier. The elders of Kongdong were among those who had forced the couple to die, and even though this bald man did not exist that day, he might not be a good person. However, before Zhang Wuji could refuse his request and expel him, four or five more people entered the valley. Some of them have crutches, while others lean on each other for support. They all looked like they were hurt.

Grimacing his brows, the boy did not wait for the last group to approach him. Instead, he announced in a loud voice: “Master Hu contracted smallpox. He can't even hold back at the moment, so he can't treat your illness. Please find another doctor as soon as possible, so that your treatment is not delayed. "

When the last group finally reached the row of huts, Zhang Wuji saw that it was made up of five people. Seeming as pale as paper, with no visible wounds on their bodies or blood spots on their clothes, those people might have suffered internal injuries. Their leader, a tall and fat man, nodded towards the bald Jian Jie and the skinny man who threw the golden flower. Then, the three laughed bitterly at each other.

They know each other! zhang Wuji thought in surprise. His curiosity increased, he asked: "Are you all victims of the gold flower owner as well?"

"That's right" the fat man replied.

Then, the dark-skinned man, who first came, added, “What's your name, Little Sister? How do you relate to Mr Hu? ”

"I am Mr. Hu's patient" Zhang Wuji replied. “When Mr. Hu says that he won't treat you, he really means it. So, there is no purpose for you to continue wandering around here. "

As they spoke, four more people came. Some came by carriage, while others rode horses, but all of them requested to meet Hu Qingniu.

Zhang Wuji became even more confused: The Butterfly Valley is so remote that other than the members of the Evil Sect, very few people in the river and lake realms knew about its location. These people were from Kongdong and Mount Hua, so they were definitely not related to the Sect. How could they all be injured at the same time? And how did they all find their way here by such coincidence? Then, another thought entered his mind: Since the owner of the golden flower is a formidable boxer, it won't be difficult for him to take the lives of these people. But why did he hurt them so painfully?

Some of the injured visitors continued to plead for help, while others remained completely silent, but the fourteen of them flatly refused to leave. As night fell around them, they crammed into one of the huts for shelter. When one of the courtyards served Zhang Wuji dinner, the boy went ahead and ate it without disturbing the visitor. Then, he turned on the oil lamp and continued his reading. Closing his eyes to the fourteenth, he said to himself: Since I learned Master Hu's methods and techniques of treatment, I might as well imitate him and ignore death as well.

+

Relax in Butterfly Valley. Unless Zhang Wuji's occasional voice flipped the pages of his book and the heavy breathing of the injured visitors, no other voices were heard. Suddenly, the sound of light footsteps rang out along the street outside as two people walked slowly towards the row of huts.

A moment later, the clear and sharp voice of a girl pierced through the silence of the night: “Mother, there is a light in front of the house. We've arrived." His high tone showed that he was still very young.

Gradually, the older voice asked, "Son, are you tired?"

"No, I don't" the little girl replied. "Mother, you won't get hurt after the doctor cures your illness."

"Yes" answered the woman. "But I don't know if the doctor will take care of me."

Zhang Wuji was stunned: The voice of the woman is so familiar! She sounded like Aunt Ji Xiaofu!

At that time, the little girl spoke again: “Tabib will definitely take care of you. Mother, don't be afraid. Are you feeling better already? ”

"A little better" said the woman. “Sigh, my poor son is long patient.”.

At that moment, Zhang Wuji had no more doubts. He rushed to the door of the hut and exclaimed: “Aunt Ji, is that you? Are you also hurt? "

A woman dressed in blue appeared, holding a little girl in her hand. She was indeed the Female Warrior Ji Xiaofu of the E-mei School. The last time he saw Zhang Wuji at Wudang Mountain, he wasn't even ten yet. Nearly five years have passed since then, and the boy grew into a teenager. So, he could barely recognize her.

“Aunt Ji, do you still remember me?” ask the boy again. “I Zhang Wuji. We met at Wudang Mountain once, when my parents died. "

Ji Xiaofu gasped in shock, as he never expected to meet her in this remote valley. Suddenly very conscious about her status as an unmarried mother, she became very red with embarrassment. After all, Zhang Wuji was the nephew of his fiancee, Yin Liting. Even though he was young, it was still very difficult for him to explain himself. Unfortunately, the emotional turmoil caused by this unexpected encounter was too much for his weakened body, so he fainted.

His daughter immediately grabbed his arm, but what could an eight or nine-year-old do to stop an adult's fall? As a result, both the mother and the child collapsed to the ground in a stacked manner.

Zhang Wuji quickly propped up Ji Xiaofu's shoulder and said, "Aunt Ji, please rest inside." Helping her indoors, she immediately noticed that her left shoulder and arm had been slashed several times. Blood was still seeping through the bandage he had placed on top of his wound, and a mild but continuous cough accompanied him. At that time, Zhang Wuji's ability in treating illnesses had surpassed the so-called 'famous doctor', so he could tell right from his cough that his lungs had become ill. "Aunt Ji, you injured Taiyin Lung Channel when you used your right palm on your opponent's hand" he said.

Then, he took out seven golden needles and stuffed them through his clothes into the Yun Men acupoints on his shoulder, the Hua Gai acupoints on his chest, the Chi Ze acupoints on his elbow, and four other points along the Taiyin Channel. Her skills improved greatly since the day she took care of Chang Yuchun, as she had spent the past two years diligently studying under Hu Qingniu's tutelage. While his ability to diagnose diseases and prescribe drugs was still limited by experience, his expertise in acupuncture had reached seven or eight tenths of the prowess of the Healing Sage.

Ji Xiaofu was a bit worried when he saw the golden needle, but Zhang Wuji's hand was so fast that the needle entered his acupuncture point in an instant, providing immediate relief for the congestion on his chest. Shocked but delighted, Ji Xiaofu said, "My son, I never expected to see you here, let alone with this incredible skill."

Many years ago at Wudang Mountain, Ji Xiaofu witnessed the double suicide of Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu. Overcome with pity for the orphaned child the couple left behind, she comforts the child and offers him her gold necklace. However, Zhang Wuji was furious and upset that he blamed all the visitors for his parents' death. Therefore, she had rejected Ji Xiaofu's gift and let him stand up in embarrassment. As he gets older, he learns that his father and uncle initially plan to join hands with the E-mei fighters against their opponents. Therefore, he finally learns that the E-mei School is a friend, not an enemy. As for Ji Xiaofu, he often recalled his kindness towards her with a grateful heart.

Recently, Zhang Wuji and Chang Yuchun had seen how Ji Xiaofu took a huge risk in saving Monk Peng (ie Peng Yingyu). Therefore, in his mind, this Aunt Ji was a very good person. She was too young to understand the details behind being an unmarried mother or to judge whether she had done anything wrong to Uncle Yin, she said, so he didn't keep the information he heard in the woods that night. Unfortunately, Ji Xiaofu had been carrying a guilty conscience all along, so he felt the sudden encounter with someone who knew Yin Liting was extremely embarrassing. He had no idea that Zhang Wuji had heard everything about him from Ding Minjun two years earlier. Since he saw Ding Minjun as an evil woman, the things he said might not be as bad as he imagined.

Zhang Wuji turned his attention to the little girl beside Ji Xiaofu. Beautiful as the picture suggests, the girl looked at him curiously with a pair of big, dark eyes before whispering, "Mother, is this child the doctor?"

The word 'Mother' caused Ji Xiaofu to blush at once. But there was nothing else he could do to hide this matter. So, he replied awkwardly, “This is the big brother of the Zhang family. His father was my friend. " Then, he turned to Zhang Wuji and said, "He ... he was called 'Buhui'." After a pause, he added, “The last name is Yang... Yang Buhui!”

Zhang Wuji laughed and said, “That's good. Little brother, your name is very similar to mine. I'm called Zhang Wuji 'No Hatred' while you are Yang Buhui 'No Regrets'. ”

Seeing that Zhang Wuji did not react to his daughter's introduction with shock or accusation, Ji Xiaofu heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he said to his daughter, “The boy Wuji is very skilled. I'm not too sick anymore. "

Yang Buhui's eyes stared at Zhang Wuji for a moment. Then, she advanced, hugged the boy tightly and kissed him on the cheek. Other than her mother, she had never seen anyone else in her entire life. Therefore, he was very grateful that Zhang Wuji had reduced the pain and discomfort his mother felt. Since he had always expressed joy and gratitude to his mother by hugging and kissing her, he had done the same to the boy.

Ji Xiaofu smiled and said, “Bu, don't do that. Brother Wuji doesn't like it. "

Yang Buhui opened his eyes wide in surprise, turned to Zhang Wuji and asked, “You don't like it? Why don't you want me to be nice to you? ”

Yang Buhui clapped his hands. "Little Cross" he said, "get well again and I'll give you another kiss."

Zhang Wuji considered the innocent and nimble little girl to be extremely adorable. All his life, he only knew people old enough to be his uncle. Even though he treated Chang Yuchun as a brother and vice versa, the man was still eight years older than him. Other than Zhou Zhiruo whom he had met for almost a day, he had never had a friend of his age. Therefore, she could not help but say to herself: If I had such a sweet little sister, I would invite her to play every day. After all, at the age of fourteen, he was still very small, but the difficult circumstances of his childhood did not give him many opportunities to have fun and play.

Later, Ji Xiaofu noticed that Jian Jie and the other injured visitors had not received any treatment. Not wanting to jump over the queue, he said, “They came earlier than me, so you better take care of them first. I've felt much better. "

"They came to seek treatment from Mr. Hu but he was too ill to be able to meet them," Zhang Wuji replied. “However, they refused to leave. Aunt Ji, I've stayed here long enough to learn some basic medical skills, so if you can trust me, I'll check your wounds. After all, you did not mention that you were seeking help from Mr. Hu. "

In fact, Ji Xiaofu wanted to ask Hu Qingniu for help, as she was in the same boat as Jian Jie and the others. After they were injured, someone told them to come to the Butterfly Valley for treatment. Now that Zhang Wuji had made an offer to take care of him, he immediately realized that the 'Dying One Who Ignores The Dead' was in keeping with his name. Since the initial course of acupuncture proved to be quite effective, he knew that Zhang Wuji's skills were much better than 'basics'. Therefore, he said, “Thank you very much. Since the Great Master refused to provide care, the Little Teacher could do it in the same way. "

Taking the woman into a room, Zhang Wuji cut off her sleeve with scissors and found three sword slashes on her arm. The bone in his arm was broken, with a point on the upper arm where a piece of bone had been shattered into pieces. This extremely fragmented part was extremely difficult to repair, yet it was only a simple matter in the eyes of the disciples of the Healing Sage of Butterfly Valley. Therefore, Zhang Wuji started to set the bones in Ji Xiaofu's arm before applying a potion that would help the healing of open wounds on it. Then, he wrote the recipe and instructed one of the pages to prepare the soup. This was his first attempt to repair a broken bone, his hands were a bit awkward. So, he fought for the shichen (two hours) or so before everything was finally plugged in and bandaged. “Aunt Ji, "Says," please take a nap. When the dope runs out, the wound will feel very painful. "

"Thank you very much!" ji Xiaofu said with gratitude.

Afterwards, Zhang Wuji went to buy dates and almonds for Yang Buhui, but by the time he returned, the tired little girl had already fallen asleep beside her mother. He put the snacks in his pocket and walked out of the room.

The dark-skinned man from the Hua Mountain School immediately stood up after Zhang Wuji appeared. Kowtowing low in front of the boy, he said, “Young Master, since Mr. Hu is sick, we have no other choice but to seek your help for our injuries. For this, we thanked him profusely before. "

Since starting his studies in medicine, Zhang Wuji had never given any treatment to anyone, except Chang Yuchun and Ji Xiaofu. As a result, he was very tempted to try his skills on these fourteen men who suffered various internal injuries, broken limbs, and other strange diseases. Then, recalling Hu Qingniu's words, she said, “This is Mr. Hu's home and I am only his patient. How dare I make such a decision? "

Seeing that he did not refuse to give treatment, the dark-skinned man decided to motivate the child with a little praise. “Famous healers in the past were all old men in their fifties and sixties,” he said, “so we didn't realize that a young man like you could have such deep skills. These events are so rare that we hope to feel your greatness. "

The fat man, surnamed Liang, added, “Fourteen of us have a small reputation in the fields of rivers and lakes. If you cure our illness, Young Master, we will come out and announce your abilities as a miracle doctor. In one day, your name will be famous all over the country. ”

Young and inexperienced, Zhang Wuji did not quite understand the ways of the world. Therefore, he could not help but feel pleased with the compliments of the men. “What's the advantage of being famous all over the country?” she said. “Because Mr. Hu does not want to treat you, there is nothing I can do. But your wound is really quite serious .. Let me explain it like this: I'll help alleviate some of your pain and discomfort. " With a versatile ointment in hand, he began to help the injured people.

But he was completely unprepared for what he found. Not only were the injuries of the men different from each other, the injuries themselves were so strange and shocking that they were not even mentioned in the comprehensive books written by Hu Qingniu. One of them was forced to swallow several dozen poisonous steel needles. Another man had his heart hurt by internal force, but the acupoints Xing Jian, Zhong Feng, Yin Bao and Wu Li needed to care for the heart had been cut into pieces with sharp blades. Apparently, the perpetrators of these injuries have a deep knowledge of medicine as well, so as to ensure that the victims do not heal easily. Then, there was the man whose lungs were pierced with long iron spikes. He coughed and vomited blood continuously. The other man had all the ribs on both sides of his body completely broken, but none of these broken bones pierced his heart or lungs. There were others whose hands were cut off, but the abuser took the time to connect the left hand on the right wrist, and vice versa. Now, the exchanged limbs had already begun to be arranged. And there's a guy who's blue, black and swollen all over the body. Apparently, he had been stung by twenty different insects and poisonous pests, including centipedes, scorpions and wasps. And there's a guy who's blue, black and swollen all over the body. Apparently, he had been stung by twenty different insects and poisonous pests, including centipedes, scorpions and wasps. And there's a guy who's blue, black and swollen all over the body. Apparently, he had been stung by twenty different insects and poisonous pests, including centipedes, scorpions and wasps.

Zhang Wuji only saw six or seven of the fourteen men, but they were enough to make his brows furrow: Their wounds were so strange that I could not even heal a single one of them. Why did the perpetrator rack his brain and come up with such a horrible form of torture? Suddenly, a thought struck him: The wounds on Auntie Ji's shoulder and arm are too common, so she must have suffered strange internal injuries as well, because how could the case be different? He ran to the room and checked Ji Xiaofu's pulse. Irregular and erratic, her pulse indicates that something is wrong with her internal organs. However, he did not know why and how it happened.

Zhang Wuji did not worry too much about the condition of the fourteen men. After all, they included people from Kongdong School who had a hand in forcing their parents to die, so they deserved their every strange sentence. But Ji Xiaofu's injuries had to be treated at all costs, so he walked over to Hu Qingniu's room and said, "Master, have you slept?"

"What's that?" ask the doctor. "I don't care who's outside, because I won't take care of any of them."

"Yes" said Zhang Wuji. "But their wounds are very strange." Then, he went on to describe everything he saw.

Hu Qingniu listened attentively from the bed, sending the boy outside occasionally to clarify certain conditions that sounded vague. The process took nearly an hour before the injuries of the fifteen people were completely explained in detail. The physician marked the report with many "Mmm, Mmm", as if he was thinking hard about them. Finally, he said, “Hmmph! This strange wound is nothing to me. ”.

Suddenly, a voice behind Zhang Wuji said, "Master Hu, the owner of the golden flower wants us to tell you this point: 'You called yourself the Sage of Healing in vain, you know how to, because in my opinion you will not be able to cure it. Even one of these fifteen diseases. ' Ha ha, of course, you are now hiding in your room, pretending to be sick. "

Turning around, Zhang Wuji saw that the voice belonged to the bald old man from Kongdong School, Jian Jie. At first, the boy thought the old man was bald naturally, but then he discovered that his hair was falling out after a corrosive poison was applied to his head. Furthermore, toxins begin to seep through the scalp and skull towards the brain. It was only a few days before the man was completely insane. Meanwhile, his comrades had secured his hands with iron chains, so he could not scratch his extremely itchy scalp to the bone.

Hu Qingniu was not affected. "It doesn't matter to me whether I can cure you or not" he said calmly. “The bottom line is I will never treat your illness. You have seven or eight days of life left, so if you rush home now, you can still see your family members, sons and daughters for the last time. Besides, what's the benefit of nagging me?

Tortured by the constant itching on his scalp, Jian Jie banged her head against the wall and shook the chains in her hands. “Master Hu,” he snarled with a gasping voice, “ the owner of the golden flower will come for you sooner or later, and you will probably have a terrible death. If we join hands and fight together against this enemy, wouldn't it be better than hiding in this room and waiting for your doom? "

“If you could defeat him, you would have gotten him killed long ago!” answer Hu Qingniu. "What's the point of having fifteen useless helpers?"

Jian Jie pleaded for a moment, but Hu Qingniu did not pay any further attention to it. Finally, the frustrated man shouted: “Alright, because after all it will bring death, I will burn this dog nest! We will enter with a white sword, and come out with a red sword. Once we send this crooked healer, we will reach our destination! "

At that moment, another man appeared. He was a dark-skinned person who had spewed blood. Pulling out the Spike Antenna Moth steel and pressing it against Jian Jie's chest, he said coldly, “If you offend Elder Hu, I will be the first to bring you to task. You want to go in with the white sword and come out with the red sword? All right, I'll let you experience it first. ”

Jian Jie was the more skilled boxer between the two, but she could not fight back due to the chains around her hands. So he just opened his eyes wide and looked at his opponent.

Raising his voice, the dark-skinned man announced: “Older Hu, I am Xue Gongyuan, a disciple of the Xianyu School Leader from Mount Hua. I'd like to pay you my respects! " He knelt down and did kowtows a few times.

A glimmer of hope appeared in Jian Jie's heart: Since Hu Qingniu refused to respond to the violence, this person's gentle prostration and defense might work.

Then, Xue Gongyuan said, “It is our misfortune that you are sick, Elder Hu. But there was a younger brother here whose knowledge of medicine was brilliant. Therefore, we would like to ask your permission for him to take care of us. After all, there is no one else in this world who can cure our strange illness, except a disciple from the Healing Sage of Butterfly Valley. "

“This child is named Zhang Wuji,” replied Hu Qingniu coldly. “He is a student of Wudang School, the son of the Silver Kail and Iron Punch of Zhang Cuishan 5th, and the main disciple of Zhang Sanfeng. Hu Qingniu was a member of the Ming Sect, a scum of society hated by your famous and righteous clan. So what should I do with a disciple of a master teacher like him? He came to me for help because he had been poisoned, but I swore that I would not take care of anyone, except the members of the Ming Sect. This little boy did not want to join my organization, so how could I save his life? ”

Half of Xue Gongyuan's hopes were gone. He had originally thought that Zhang Wuji was Hu Qingniu's student. Therefore, the doctor would definitely give the boy pointers if he had any difficulties during the treatment process. He had never expected that Zhang Wuji would be such a poor patient whose request for help was denied outright.

“So you want to hang out, eh?” Hu Qingniu continued. “Hmmph, hmmph, do you think I'll be kind all of a sudden? Ask this little boy how long he's been around my place. ”

When Xue Gongyuan and Jian Jie turned to Zhang Wuji, they saw him raise two fingers and gesture twice with them.

Twenty days? ask Xue Gongyuan.

“Two years two months for today,” replied Zhang Wuji.

Jian and Xue looked at each other and sighed.

“He can go ahead and stay here for another ten years,” said Hu Qingniu, “but I still can't save his life. In twelve months, the deadly poison that had accumulated in his internal organs would begin his final work, and he would not live to this day next year. I swore before Master Ming many years ago, therefore I cannot provide care for anyone who is not a member of the Ming Sect, even if they are fathers, he said, my own son and daughter. "

As Jian Jie and Xue Gongyuan started walking out in deep disappointment, Hu Qingniu suddenly said, These “Keen from the Wudang School know quite a bit about medicine. Although Wudang's knowledge is far below our Ming Sect, it's not bad enough to kill anyone. Therefore, the Wudang School can go ahead and provide treatment, or turn away and ignore death. His decision, however, had absolutely nothing to do with the Ming Sect and Hu Qingniu. "

Xue Gongyuan was stunned, as the healer sounded as if he wanted Zhang Wuji to treat their illness. “Elder Hu,” said the man quickly, “if this Young Hero Zhang is willing to save us, we will have hope once again.”

"What does that have to do with me?" hu Qingniu. “Listen, Wuji. You cannot practice medicine as you wish at Hu Qingniu's home. But once you get out of my door, I can no longer control what you do. "

Xue Gongyuan and Jian Jie looked at each other stupidly, unsure of what the doctor meant by his words.

Fortunately, Zhang Wuji was much smarter than them. Knowing what Hu Qingniu had in mind, she said to Xue and Jian, “Master Hu is sick, so you should not bother him more than necessary. Please come with me. " When the three of them reached the hall, Zhang Wuji said, “Gentlemen, I am still young and my knowledge is shallow. Your wounds are so strange that I don't believe in them completely. If you can trust me, allow me to do my best. As for the result, we will leave it in the hands of Heaven. ”

At the time, the men were so tormented by their wounds that they were willing to drink arsenic and poison for a moment's relief. Therefore, they were very happy to hear Zhang Wuji's words.

“Master Hu won't allow me to do anything in his house,” the boy continued, “so that his reputation as the 'Sage of Healing' won't be damaged if anyone dies. Please out. "

Those people were hesitant, because they knew that this fourteen or fifteen year old youth had limited knowledge and experience. If they remained in the 'Sage of Healing' house, they could still look to the famous healer himself for certainty. But if they stepped out, they would probably experience an additional pain that was completely unnecessary at the hands of this young man.

Suddenly, Jian Jie exclaimed: “The itching in my scalp is killing me! Little brother, please help me first. " Tragging his chain noisily behind him, he walked out of the door.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Wuji went to the room where various medicinal ingredients were stored, and took out ten different herbs and minerals, including Nanxing, Divaricate Saposhnikovia Root, Durian Angelica Root, Gastrodia Bulbs, and others, Notopterygium, Typhonium Bulbs and ophicalcite. Then, he instructed one of the courtyards to crush the herbs and minerals in the mortar with hot wine, before applying the resulting paste on Jian Jie's bald pate.

The old man jumped up and shouted in pain as the paste touched his scalp, shouting, "Oh! So sick! But this pain was much more comfortable than that terrible itch! " Walking around the grass with trembling teeth, he added, “Sick is amazing! Shit, this pipsqueak is better than I thought. Young Hero Zhang, I should be grateful for your help. ”

The quick and positive effects of Zhang Wuji's treatment on Jian Jie's itching caused others to rush with their respective needs. At that moment, one of them started rolling around on the ground, holding on to his stomach and screaming in pain. It turned out that he was forced to swallow more than thirty live leeches. After surviving consumption, leeches eventually attach themselves to the walls of their victims' stomachs and intestines, sucking their blood for all its value. Zhang Wuji recalled the part he had read: Leeches crumble upon coming into contact with honey. There was a lot of honey in the Butterfly Valley, so he obtained a large bowl of honey from one of the courtyards and instructed the man to consume the entire portion at once.

Then, he continued on to the other man, paying attention to each patient in succession until dawn. When Ji Xiaofu and his daughter woke up and went outside, they discovered that Zhang Wuji had worked so hard that he was drenched in sweat. Ji Xiaofu immediately offered his help, bandaged open wounds and took the medicine as needed. On the other hand, little Yang Buhui ran around the valley, snacking on almonds and dates and chasing butterflies without a care.

By the time Zhang Wuji completed the initial treatment for the fourteen men, the day was already past noon. But their disease is so strange and complex that it is not enough to deal with only external symptoms and signs. Zhang Wuji went to his room to sleep, only to be jolted awake a few hours later by a loud scream of pain. He jumped up and immediately went to check on his patient. Some of them looked better, but more turned for the worse. Losing his idea, he went to tell Hu Qingniu what had happened so far.

"These people are not members of the Ming Sect," the doctor said coldly. "Who cares if they live or die?"

Then, Zhang Wuji gained a flash of inspiration. "If any member of the Ming Sect had no external injuries," he said, "but his face was swollen red and his stomach was filled with blood clots, how would you deal with it?"

“If he is a member of Ming Sect,” replied Hu Qingniu, “I will give him water potion, wine, pangolin scales, the final root of China Angelica, safflower, Rehmannia dry rhizome, Lingxian, Dragon Blood, etc, the sap of Calamus Gum, Taoxian, rhubarb, frankincense and myrrh, with a small amount of urine from boys under twelve. He'll remove the blood clot after that.

Zhang Wuji asked again: "What if someone fills the left and right ears of the Ming Sect members with lead and mercury, before pouring raw varnish into his eyes?"

"Who would dare to do such a terrible thing to the members of the Ming Sect?" raung Hu Qingniu furiously.

"Yes, that person is very cruel," Zhang Wuji replied. "But I think we should heal the ears and eyes of this member of the Ming Sect first, before asking who his enemy is and where he can be found."

Hu Qingniu thought for a moment and said, “If the victim is a member of the Ming Sect, I will pour mercury into her left ear. Pieces of lead will dissolve in mercury and flow out of the ear. Then, I would insert a golden needle into the right ear and remove the mercury bit by bit. As for raw varnish, juice made from crab might be used. "

Zhang Wuji continued in this way, turning his patient's illness into injuries sustained by the fictitious members of the Ming Sect, until Hu Qingniu gave him answers to all fifteen problems. The doctor knew what the boy was doing, of course, but he taught him all the same. Unfortunately, some of these injuries are so bizarre and complex that the recommended treatments do not work. Therefore, Hu Qingniu had to make additional efforts and thoughts before the proper treatment was found.

After five or six days, the patient begins to show signs of improvement. As for Ji Xiaofu, his internal injuries were caused by poison. After Zhang Wuji had ascertained the roots, he had killed them with a concoction of raw fossil fragments, perillas, mole crickets, Trogopterus droppings, Caper Euphorbia seeds and powdered frogs. So, when she checked her pulse, she found that her pulse had become somewhat stable, though still a little weak. His injury is starting to heal.

Back then, the patients had built themselves a huge canopy outside the row of Hu Qingniu huts, using it as a simple protection from the sun and rain as they recuperated on top of the haystack and grass. Ji Xiaofu and his daughter had a small hut that was a few zhang (1 zhang \= 3.33 meters) away, the result of Zhang Wuji's request that the fourteen wounded men not dare to refuse him. After all, the lives of the rough and shady people who explored the length and breadth of the nature of these rivers and lakes were in the hands of the boy.

Life had suddenly become rather hectic for Zhang Wuji, but he had also learned some new techniques and recipes from Hu Qingniu. The experience has proven to be useful so far.

+

One morning, Zhang Wuji discovered a slight darkening of the skin on Ji Xiaofu's brows, as if his internal injuries had recurred. She quickly checked her pulse and asked him to give her saliva for a test, finally making sure that the poison in her body had returned. Zhang Wuji did not know what was happening, so he went to ask Hu Qingniu for help. The doctor sighed and told him what to do. Sure enough, the treatment worked. Then, Jian Jie's scalp started to rot and let out a very foul smell. Fifteen patients have regained eight or nine-tenths of their health in recent days, but in one night, everyone got worse.

Zhang Wuji did not understand how this could happen, so he asked Hu Qingniu for an opinion.

“Everyone suffered tremendous injuries,” said the doctor. “If they can be easily cured, why should they come to Butterfly Valley and ask for my help?”

That night, the boy lay in bed and thought: The injury is common, but it is too strange for such a thing to happen to fifteen people at the same time. Moreover, their condition seemed to be constantly changing. It kept him awake until the third watch of the night (11.00 to 1.00 am) passed.

Suddenly, he heard softly falling leaves as someone walked calmly through his window. His curiosity increased, Zhang Wuji made a hole in the paper covering his window and peered outside. He sees a figure passing by, before disappearing behind a Chinese school tree (huai2 shu4). It looked like Hu Qingniu.

Why isn't Mr Hu in bed? the boy asked himself. Has he recovered from smallpox?

But the doctor's movements seemed to indicate a reluctance to be seen by others. After a while, he crawled towards the small hut where Ji Xiaofu and his daughter were sleeping.

Zhang Wuji's heart started pounding as he thought: Has he hurt Aunt Ji? I'm no match for him, but I can't let this matter pass you by. Climbing out the window, he followed Hu Qingniu as slowly as possible. Then, he saw the man sneak into Ji Xiaofu's warehouse. The warehouse was built haphazardly as a simple shelter from wind and rain, so there were no doors or walls to prevent intruders from entering.

Zhang Wuji panicked and immediately walked to the back of the warehouse. Huddled close to the ground, he saw Ji Xiaofu and his daughter sleeping soundly on the haystack. Meanwhile, Hu Qingniu took out a medicine grain from her shirt and stuffed it into Ji Xiaofu's medicine bowl before leaving as slow as she came. Zhang Wuji saw that the face of the physician was still covered in a piece of black cloth. As he wondered if the man had recovered from smallpox, a sudden and somewhat frightening realization struck him: Master Hu had secretly been tampering with the patients' medicines all night long! That's why their wounds haven't healed.

Then, he saw Hu Qingniu enter the canopy where Jian Jie, Xue Gongyuan and the others were sleeping, seemingly to poison them as well. The healer had not reappeared for a long time, probably because each of the fourteen men needed a different recipe. Zhang Wuji quietly stepped into Ji Xiaofu's warehouse and inhaled the scent of his medicine bowl. It originally contained a dose of Eight Immortals Soup, which she should have taken in the morning. Now, the stew gave off a pungent smell. Just then, light footsteps rang out outside, indicating that the doctor was returning to his room.

Lowering the bowl, Zhang Wuji softly exclaimed: "Aunt Ji, Aunt Ji!"

As an accomplished boxer, Ji Xiaofu's hearing and vision were extremely sharp, so he would wake up in the slightest voice even when he was in deep sleep. However, he was not aroused despite some calls from Zhang Wuji. The boy had to shake his shoulders seven or eight times before he finally opened his eyes and asked, "Who is that?"

“Aunt Ji, it's me, Wuji,” he replied. “The bowl of your medicine has been poisoned, so you can't take it anymore. Pour it quietly into the river, and assume nothing is wrong. I'll discuss the details with you tomorrow. "

Ji Xiaofu nodded in agreement.

Then, fearing that Hu Qingniu would find them, Zhang Wuji returned to his window and climbed back into his room.

After breakfast the next morning, Zhang Wuji and Yang Buhui went after the butterflies, running further and further away from Hu Qingniu's hut and the canopy of the injured people. Ji Xiaofu knew what the boy was doing, so he immediately followed them. After seeing Zhang Wuji bring Yang Buhui out to play for the past few days, no one cared about the three of them going alone. When they reached the hill about one li (500 meters) away, Zhang Wuji sat down.

Ji Xiaofu turned to his daughter and said, “Bu, let's not chase the butterflies anymore. Go and find some wildflowers and make three crowns, one for each of us. ”

Beaming with excitement, the little girl left as ordered.

Zhang Wuji opened the discussion with a question: “Aunt Ji, what conflict does Hu Qingniu have with you? Why would he want to poison you? "

“I have never met Mr. Hu,” replied Ji Xiaofu, somewhat surprised at the thought of the boy. "I've never seen his face to this day, so what conflict is there between us?" After a pause of a while, he added, “When Father and Teacher talk about Mr. Hu, they just mentioned his unparalleled ability in medicine and called him the best doctor in the country. It was a pity that he had chosen to walk in a perverted manner as a member of the Ming Sect. My father and teacher did not know him either. Why...why does he want to poison me? ”

Zhang Wuji went on to tell her how he saw Hu Qingniu sneak into the warehouse to poison her the night before. Then, he said, “A bowl of Eight Gods Soup You let out a pungent smell from the ferns of venus hair and Bone Piercing Mushrooms. Both of these plants have certain medicinal properties but are too toxic to use in high doses. They were also opposite to the healing properties of the eight herbs in the Eight Gods Soup. Although the doses that have been used are not enough to kill, they still prevent the full recovery of your wounds. "

“What is more confusing is that fourteen other men were also affected,” Ji Xiaofu said. “Even if my father or the E-Mei School had offended Mr. Hu by accident, all these people were unlikely to be involved as well. It was too coincidental to be true. "

Undaunted, the boy continued his question. “Aunt Ji, Butterfly Valley is very remote,” he said. “How can you find this place? Who is the 'golden flower owner' who hurt you? " After a short pause, he added, “Perhaps, I should not ask you about this matter because it is not my concern. But the whole episode was very strange. Please don't take it personally. ”

Ji Xiaofu blushed, as she understood the meaning behind Zhang Wuji's words - she was worried that his question might be related to her being an unmarried mother, she said, therefore answering him would put him in a very awkward position. However, she went on and gave him an answer: “You saved my life, so what else should I hide from you? Besides, you treat Buer and me very well. You may be young, but you are also the only one in this world that I can share the deepest hardships in my heart. "

Wiping the tears in her eyes with a handkerchief, she continued: "Since the misunderstanding with one of my older sisters at hand two years ago, I dare not look at my teacher or go home ..."

“Hmmph! 'Evil Wuyan Ding Minjun' that is so terrifying! " Zhang Wuji immediately said. "Auntie, you don't have to be afraid of him."

Ji Xiaofu gasped in surprise. “Eh, how do you know about this?” she asked.

After the boy told him how he and Chang Yuchun saw him save Monk Peng in the forest, he sighed softly and said, “I shouldn't do anything I don't want others to know! How can my actions escape the ears and eyes of men? "

"Sixth Uncle Yin is an excellent person," Zhang Wuji said. “But if you don't like her, what's wrong with not marrying her? When I see Uncle Yin, I will ask him not to force it any longer. "

Ji Xiaofu could not help but smile sadly at the naive and simple look of the boy. "Son, I accidentally made a mistake with your Sixth Uncle," he said softly. “I used to have no alternative, but.. but now, I also have no regrets about it...” Then, he thought: This boy's heart is like a blank sheet of paper, and he has no regrets about it, so I better not tell her about the intimate affair between a man and a woman. Moreover, they did not seem to be related to the problem at hand.

Therefore, he continued: “After a disagreement with Sister Ding, I did not return to E-may again. Instead, I took Bu-er and went to Mount Shungeng, about three hundred li (150 km) west of the Butterfly Valley, he said, where we lived a carefree and peaceful life among loggers and farmers for more than two years. Half a month ago, Buer and I went to town to buy cloth for some new clothes. There, I found a new chalk image of a small sword surrounded by rays of light in the corner of the wall. It was a coded call for E-mei School students. I became very frightened after seeing her, but I soon realized that it wasn't my fault for being at odds with Sister Ding. Nor did I do anything to deceive my teacher or betray my school. Therefore, I decided to answer the call, just in case the phone was left by her schoolmate in trouble. So, with Buer in hand, then,

“In Fengyang City itself, another picture led us to the Restaurant of Linhuai Pavilion. There were already seven or eight members of the martial arts circle there, including Jian Jie from Kongdong as well as Xue Gongyuan from Mount Hua and his two brothers, but there were no E-mei disciples.

“I have met Jian Jie and Xue Gongyuan before, so I immediately learned from them that they had also followed the code drawings of their respective clans all the way to Fengyang. But no one knows what the call really is.

“After waiting for one day, no other E-mei students came. Instead, several boxers from other organizations appeared, including those from the Clan of the Exquisite Fists and the Beggar 'Gang'. They also said that they had come to the Linhuai Pavilion-Restaurant after seeing the code images of their respective organizations. Several more people showed up on the second day for the same reason, but the sender of the call did not show up. Doubt crept into our hearts: Have we all been deceived by the enemy?

“At that time, fifteen people from nine different clans had responded to this strange encounter at the Linhuai Pavilion Restaurant. The coded images differ from one organization to another, of course, and each maintains it strictly. No one, except the clan members themselves, knew what this sign meant. If this meeting was really a betrayal job, how could the enemy know the secret symbols of the nine different clans? Not wanting to put Buer in danger or meet with my schoolmates, I decided to go home. However, it is clear that this is not a call for help.

“As I was about to leave the restaurant, a loud knocking sound rang out on the stairs, as if someone came with the help of a cane or crutches. A series of coughs followed, and a silver-haired old woman with a bent back appeared. He coughed painfully as he walked, supported by a young girl of about twelve or thirteen years old. I got out of the way immediately, letting the old and sick woman climb the stairs first. Her young maid had a delicate air and a beautiful face. On the other hand, the old woman, with her bleached walking stick and ordinary clothes, looked like a poor farmer. However, he had a shiny rosary in his left hand. When I took a closer look, I realized that the rosary beads were actually plums made of yellow gold.

"So this old lady is the 'gold flower owner'?" zhang Wuji asked in surprise.

"That's right!" ji Xiaofu replied with a nod. “But who would have thought of such a thing at that time?” Digging into his pocket, he took out a small plum blossom made of gold. It looked exactly like what Zhang Wuji had shown Hu Qingniu almost a week before.

The boy was astonished, as he thought that the 'owner of the golden flower' was a very cruel and very tough person. However, according to Ji Xiaofu's description, the enemy turned out to be a sickly old woman.

Ji Xiaofu continued: “After the old woman reached the top of the stairs, she started coughing. The young girl said, 'Grandmother, maybe you should take some medicine.' As the old woman nodded in agreement, the girl opened the small porcelain bottle and poured over the medicinal pellets. The old woman swallowed the pellet with great difficulty before uttering a series of 'Amitabha!'. Then, with his eyes half closed, he muttered, 'Only fifteen.. mmm, ask them: Did anyone from the Wudang and Kunlun schools come?'

“Nobody noticed him the first time he climbed the stairs, so everyone was surprised by his sudden remark. Several men turned around at once, but they quickly ignored what they heard upon seeing this senile-looking old woman and farmer. The young girl raised her voice and said, 'Hey, my grandmother asked you: Has anyone from Wudang and Kunlun school come?' Surprised, no one answered. After a while, Jian Jie of Kongdong said, 'Young lady, what did you just say?' The girl replied with her own question: 'My grandmother asked: Why are the students of Wudang and Kunlun not here?' 'Who are you?' asked Jian Jie again. Just then, the old woman bowed and coughed again.

“Suddenly, a strong gust of wind is heading towards my chest. I don't know where it came from, but it was very fast. I immediately raised my palm to fend it off, but my chest was clogged with nausea. I sank to the floor and vomited some mouthfuls of blood. As I struggled to make sense of something, I saw the old woman hovering across the room, sending palms to the right and fists to the left amid a series of coughs. Within moments, the other fourteen men were all shot. This sudden, fast and powerful movement left us with no chance to fight back, as our acupoints were blocked or our internal organs were injured. Then, the old woman's left hand swept over and sent each golden flower to our arms. After which, he grabbed the young girl, saying 'Amitabha!' and limped down the stairs.

At that time Yang Buhui returned with the crown of flowers he had made. “Mother, this is for you,” she said with a bright smile as she put her work on top of her mother's head.

Ji Xiaofu smiled full of appreciation before continuing his story: “At that time, the five of us were lying limp and limp on the restaurant floor. Some can still mumble and curse in anger, but some have difficulty breathing. ”.

"Mother, are you talking about that horrible old woman?" yang Buhui asked suddenly. “Please don't talk about him. He scares me. "

Entertaining his daughter, Ji Xiaofu said, "My good son, be good and make another flower crown for Brother Wuji."

Yang Buhui turned to Zhang Wuji and asked, "What color do you want?"

"Red" replied the boy. “And some white too. Make it as big as you can. ”

Stretching her hands, the little girl asked again, "Like this?"

"Yes, like that," Zhang Wuji replied.

As he clapped and jumped up, Yang Buhui said, "You'd better wear it after I'm done."

Then, Ji Xiaofu continued his story: “As I sat in a daze, the manager, wine keeper, cook, and other workers at the restaurant appeared, and dragged us all into the kitchen. Poor Bu-er wailed in fear and followed me as I was taken away. Over time, the manager looked for a written list, pointed to Jian Jie and said, 'Apply this ointment on his head.' A wine keeper carries out the instructions, using a pre-determined potion. The manager referred to his list again, pointed to someone else and said, "Cut off his right hand, and connect it to his left arm. ' Two cooks took out sharp machetes and carried out the order. I was fortunate to be spared physical torture, but I was forced to consume a bowl of sweet liquid. I knew that the drink was poisonous, but I did not have the ability to resist.

“After fifteen of us were given our odd punishment, the manager said, 'You've been injured seriously enough that it didn't last more than half a month. But the owner of the golden flower says that he has no personal grudge against you. Therefore, he kindly gives you a solution. You should hurry to the Butterfly Valley on the shores of Lake Nushan and seek help from Healing Sage Hu Qingniu. If He is willing to take care of You, Your life will be saved, because no one else in the world knows how to heal Your wounds. But this Hu Qingniu was also known as the 'People Who Ignored the Dying One', because she would not help anyone who was not in trouble. Tell Hu Qingniu that the owner of the golden flower will go and look for her immediately, and ask her to make preliminary preparations for her own funeral!

“Aunt Ji, does this mean the manager, cook, and wine keeper at the Linhuai Pavilion Restaurant are the old lady's terrible accomplices?” ask Zhang Wuji.

"I think they are his subordinates," Ji Xiaofu replied. “After all, the manager tortured us according to the list that the evil old woman herself might have prepared. What I really did not understand was the reason behind his actions. If he had a personal complaint against us, he could have killed us with just one finger. But if he wanted us to deliberately suffer by committing this terrible form of torture, why would he direct us to Mr Hu for help? He had even stated that he was going to look for Master Hu for revenge, so did he torture us just to test Master Hu's medical skills? "

Zhang Wuji thought for a moment and said, “Since this Old Lady of the Golden Flower is on her way here to make trouble for Master Hu, it is right for her to heal your wounds. Then, everyone could stand together against this formidable foe. If that wasn't the case, he wouldn't have taught me how to take care of your wounds after balking hard to provide this treatment himself. The method he gave me has proven to be very effective, so it was clear that he wanted to save all of you from the start. What puzzled me was his act of poisoning all of you secretly in the middle of the night. Why would he want you to straddle between life and death? "

They discussed this question for a long time, but no one could give a possible answer. Over time, Yang Buhui appeared with a large flower crown and placed it on Zhang Wuji's head.

Finally, the boy said, “Aunt Ji, you must not take any more medicine, except the ones I personally serve. You should also keep a gun by your side at night, just in case someone wants to hurt you. But you can't leave Butterfly Valley yet. You should take a few more decoctions and wait until your internal wounds are completely healed before escaping with Little Sister Buhui. ”

Ji Xiaofu nodded in agreement. "Son, Mr. Hu's ways proved very unexpected" he added. “So, it's not a good idea for you to stay with him. Maybe we should go together. ”

“I understand your concern,” said Zhang Wuji, “but actually he was nice to me. He originally planned to kill me after removing the poison in my body, but the treatment failed. Therefore, he did not need to send me. I know that it is best that we leave immediately, but there are some aspects about your wound care that I do not understand. I have to ask Master Hu about them. "

"He has tried to poison me in secret," Ji Xiaofu said, "so he might teach you the wrong method on purpose."

"Not necessarily so," Zhang Wuji replied. “The method Mr Hu has taught so far has proven to be very effective. Besides, I can tell the difference between right and wrong. That's why this whole situation is so strange. Originally I did not want to leave Master Hu at the mercy of the Golden Flower Owner, but now, I see that he is just pretending to be sick. "

+

That night, Zhang Wuji did not sleep. On the third guard (between 11:00 and 1:00 am), Hu Qingniu came out of her room as the boy had expected, and snuck into Ji Xiaofu's warehouse to poison her. This went on for three days, but Ji Xiaofu did not drink the poison that had been added to his medicine. Therefore, he advanced quickly towards full recovery. On the other hand, Jian Jie, Xue Gongyuan and the others alternated between recovery and setback. Some of the grumpy men started to hate Zhang Wuji, saying that his medical skills were too bad. The boy did not notice them, knowing that there was only one more night before he, Ji Xiaofu and his daughter would leave the place. Since the poison in his own body could not be removed, he would not return to Mount Wudang and grieve his grandfather and uncle. Instead, he would find a secluded place and die quietly.

Right before going to bed, Zhang Wuji began to feel sad about having to leave the Butterfly Valley the next morning: Although Hu Qingniu is an eccentric man, he has been kind to me. If he does not provide treatment for my wounds, how can I survive to this day? He also taught me a lot about medicine and its practices in the last two years.

Therefore, the boy found himself walking to the doctor's room to inquire about his condition. Furthermore, she could not help but feel worried that the Old Lady of the Golden Flower was on her way here to create trouble for the man. So, he asked, “Master Hu, aren't you tired of living in Butterfly Valley? Why don't you go out and have some fun? ”

"I'm sick, so how can I travel?" hu Qingniu asked in reply, somewhat surprised by the boy's question.

“We can use the donkey-drawn carriage,” Zhang Wuji replied. “Just cover the window of the carriage with a cloth, so that the wind does not enter. If you are willing to travel, I'll accompany you. ”

Hu Qingniu sighed and said, “Nak, you are very kind. Even though this world is big, it is a pity that every place is the same as the next place. How has your chest been for the past few days? Has the cold rolled in your lower abdomen? "

"The cold is getting worse by the day" Zhang Wuji replied. “Because there is no cure, I have decided to let it run by itself.”

Hu Qingniu was silent for a moment, before saying, “Let me give you a medical prescription that will save your life. Decoct Chinese Angelica, root of the thin leafy milkwort, the dry rhizome of Rehmannia, Double Teeth Pubescent Angelica and Divaricate Saposhnikovia Root with pangolin scales during the second guard of the night (9.00 to 23.00). The drink should then be drunk immediately. "

Zhang Wuji was surprised, as the five herbs prescribed by the doctor had absolutely nothing to do with his condition. These plants even fight each other. It is even more unbelievable to use pangolin scales as a supplement to increase the efficacy of the resulting decoction. Therefore, he asked, “Pak, what dosage should be taken?”

"The stronger the better," Hu Qingniu snapped furiously. “I told you everything, so why are you still hanging around?”

Doctors always saw the boy as a student and friend whenever they talked about medical and herbal practices, so he had never shouted so harshly before. As a result, Zhang Wuji could not help but stomp his feet back into his room. I counseled you in good faith to travel so that you could avoid danger, he thought, but you scolded me instead. You even gave me a recipe that made no sense! Do you think I'll fall in love?

As he lay on the bed and discussed what Hu Qingniu had said, a thought suddenly appeared in his mind: Chinese Angelica, the root of a thin-leaved milkwort… how can this herb be used at the strongest dose? Except.. except the Chinese Angelica - 'Dang Gui' - was actually meant to convey the 'guiqu hearing' - that 'I have to go home'?

A similar interpretation follows: The root of the thin-leaved milkwort is 'Yuan Zhi'; it should mean 'zhi zai yuanfang, gaofei yuanzou' or 'go as far as possible'. The meaning of Rehmannia's dry rhizome and Angelica's Pubescent Double Tooth could not be more clear, as 'Sheng Di' and 'Du Huo' meant 'the place where one would live' and 'live alone'. He told me that escaping this way was the only way to survive the impending catastrophe. What about Divaricate Saposhnikovia Root or 'Fang Feng'? Yes, it means 'xu fang zoulou fengsheng' or 'make necessary precautions to prevent this secret from leaking'. As for the use of pangolin scales or 'Chuan Shan Jia' as a supplement during the second watch of the night and consuming the drink immediately after the decoction, he told me 'chuanshan taozou' or 'escape through moutains' during the second guard. I should not have used the road that passed through the valley.

Hu Qingniu's erroneous recipe began to make sense. As Zhang Wuji jumped out of bed, he thought: Master Hu must have known that something bad was about to happen, so he kindly told me to leave immediately. But the enemy has not yet come. Then why would he use this puzzle, instead of speaking clearly? What if I fail to crack the code? The second watch has passed, so I'd better get going. He imagined that the healer might have his own reasons for staying, with an incredible plan to deal with the enemy. Although Hu Qingniu had asked him to 'Fang Feng' and 'Du Huo', Zhang Wuji could not leave without taking Aunt Ji and his daughter along.

Thus, he quietly walked out of his room and headed to Ji Xiaofu's warehouse. To his surprise, he found someone hunched over the woman as she lay on top of a haystack. Dressed in a blue robe and a square hat, with a piece of black cloth around his face, the intruder was none other than Hu Qingniu herself. Ten thousand questions instantly entered the boy's mind.

The healer pressed Ji Xiaofu's cheek with his left hand, forcing his mouth open, as he prepared to drop the medicinal pellets into it with his right hand. Zhang Wuji jumped out and said, "Master Hu, you mustn't hurt anyone else ..."

The man let go of his grip and turned around in surprise. Just then, Ji Xiaofu hit his back hard, making him fall to the ground with a tangled pile.

The black piece of cloth fell down, revealing a pair of trimmed eyebrows and a face with powder. The intruder was actually not Hu Qingniu, but rather a middle-aged woman.