Chapter 3: The Disciple of the Divine Doctor

Xiao Ming hurriedly expressed his gratitude, "Senior, you have saved my life; how could I not recognize good and bad? I will do everything as you say"

Hua Shi summarized thirteen categories of yin-yang imbalance in the human body. Although there are only thirteen categories, they encompass all the methods for regulating yin-yang imbalances in human injuries and illnesses. Each technique is divided into seven types of golden needle techniques, totaling ninety-one types of golden needle techniques.

In ancient China, medical practices were divided into categories of herbal and stone therapies, with acupuncture having numerous schools of thought. The types of needles alone were classified into long and short needles, as well as thick and thin needles. Before the Tang Dynasty, some folk doctors even invented the ox hair needle and the plum blossom needle, indicating that medicine at that time was quite advanced

An Daquan, accompanied by Xiao Ming, turned left and right and entered a blacksmith's shop. The owner of the shop was a tall and thin man named Gu Shouzheng, who was known as "Jin Jian Tie Bei". Upon seeing An Daquan, Gu Shouzheng was both surprised and delighted, and he appeared to be extremely apprehensive, clearly indicating that An Daquan had once done him a favor. In the days that followed, An Daquan and Xiao Ming resided in Gu Shouzheng's blacksmith shop.

Sometimes when discussing the magistrate of Lin'an County, An Daoquan is quite familiar with this individual. "The local magistrate, Guo Huai, is very mysterious, with a sinister personality. While he manages political affairs adequately, he has a penchant for medicine, albeit in a way that deviates from the norm. He engages in practices that ordinary people would not dare to attempt, frequently experimenting with various strange prescriptions on patients, which has led to the deaths of many. This has frightened away all his patients, and since he is the magistrate, no one dares to sue him for these medical fatalities. Afterward, Guo Huai became somewhat restrained, deciding to conduct experiments only on sick prisoners. Many ailing prisoners have met their demise under his treatment, but the darkness of the prison prevents anyone from speaking out. It wasn't until the last two years that this Magistrate Guo has escalated his actions, even beginning to experiment with drugs on healthy prisoners."

Xiao Mingdao: "Are you going to teach me medicine? But I have no foundation at all! I don't understand pharmacology, nor do I know anything about the 'Huangdi Neijing' or anything like that. I wonder if I can learn it at all!"

Andaoquan laughed heartily, "I am referred to as the dual master of gold and stone. This stone? It pertains to the way of medicinal stones, while gold refers to my technique of golden needles. I impart to you the technique of golden needles primarily for your own self-preservation, not for the purpose of treating others. Mastering the complete set of medical skills is not that simple. Let me make it clear, I will teach you the art of golden needles, but this does not establish a master-disciple relationship between us, so you need not show me the respect of a disciple. Do you understand?"

I, as an old man, never give up halfway when treating illnesses; either I cure them completely or I do not treat them at all. I cannot be by your side for an extended period, as it conflicts with my plans. Very well, I will teach you the thirteen techniques of the Fahrenheit Golden Needle. Do you wish to learn them?

Andao Quandao: "Otherwise, the medicinal properties within your body have been dispersed by me to the extent of seventy to eighty percent, yet a considerable amount still remains. In the past few days, I have felt your pulse, and it is quite strange; it seems as if there are meridians and fascia growing within your body, indicating a potential alteration of your physical state. I have pondered over this for many days without finding a solution. I fear that in a few days, the residual medicinal properties within you will still manifest. If you wish to preserve your life, it can only be done by..."

"What? Junior brother! May I ask who you are, senior?" Xiao Ming asked in surprise

Xiao Ming's expression was quite remarkable, while An Daoquan observed his changing complexion, at times excited and at times dejected. It felt very surprising

Andaoquan scratched his head, appearing quite troubled. After pondering for a considerable time, it seemed he had made some resolution.

Ah! Oh? Xiao Ming came back to his senses

Xiao Ming knew that the medical practices during the Song Dynasty were quite advanced, and that the "Qianjin Fang" was a common reading material for ordinary people. Many scholars pursued medicine, as the saying goes, if one cannot be a good official, one can at least be a good doctor. Therefore, hearing about the eccentricities of County Magistrate Guo was not too surprising; however, his treating himself as a guinea pig was rather excessive. This grudge has been established, and even if I do not cut off the electricity to his home, I must at least set fire to his courtyard.

Unless someone can daily pierce the meridians such as the Tan Zhong, Qi Hai, and Nei Guan with a gold needle in the coming years, extracting the medicinal toxins and dispersing the medicinal properties, only then can one preserve their life

Xiao Ming's heart skipped a beat as he pointed to his own nose and said, "Isn't everything fine now?"

I have heard of you; you were imprisoned in the black jail of Lin'an because of the Li Qiaonu case, were you not

Xiao Ming asked: "Unless how?"

"Deng Yuanjue! Who is this person again?" However, Xiao Ming did not know, and felt embarrassed to ask.

Having mastered the theory, what remains is the practical application. The Thirteen Techniques of the Huashi Golden Needle rely on several special methods, which must be acquired through practice. An Daoquan drew the human meridians on the wall to allow Xiao Ming to practice

According to Andaoquan, the phenomenon that Xiao Ming is currently experiencing should be classified as "usurpation of the body"

Do you know the old man

In the days that followed, Xiao Ming studied the Golden Needle Technique under An Daoquan. The Thirteen Techniques of the Huashi Golden Needle, as passed down, are said to have originated from the He-Tu and Luo-Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, created by the divine physician Hua Tuo. The entire set of principles for treating illnesses is strikingly different from the traditional Chinese medicine that Xiao Ming was familiar with. Although it also diagnoses and treats diseases according to the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the distinctions between yin and yang within it are significantly different.

I have been imprisoned by them for two years, and they have never released me. During this time, I often saw prisoners in the jail being dragged away for experiments, whether with knives and stones or strange drugs, many of whom died violently. Knowing that they were committing atrocities again, I reached out and saved a few.

Andaoquan told him: Huashi believes that the illness of the human body is fundamentally caused by an imbalance of yin and yang. However, the yin and yang of the internal and external environments are different, and the body's meridians are also divided into yin and yang. Some meridians are yin above and yang below, while others are yang above and yin below. Even the yin and yang at the front and back, as well as each segment of yin and yang, differ. Adjustments must be made according to the specific conditions of the illness at all times. If someone is injured, both external and internal injuries can lead to a reversal of yin and yang, but each has its own distinctions. Specific issues require specific analysis.

"What is Li Qiaonu? I do not know her. The reason I am suffering this imprisonment is solely due to my junior apprentice's doing."

Acupuncture should be complemented by pulse diagnosis, which is relatively systematic and divided into three types: pulse cutting, pulse palpation, and needle probing for pulse diagnosis. The differentiation of pulse theory should also be supplemented by the concepts of yin and yang, which differs from Xiao Ming's understanding.

Now looking at his arms again, small cracks have appeared, and his arms have become noticeably thicker than usual. He couldn't help but feel anxious again. An Daoquan treated him using a unique technique involving golden needles. After a few needles were applied, the symptoms were somewhat alleviated

"Haha, the Sunflower Acupoint Manual," Xiao Ming said暗道.

Upon thinking of this, Xiao Ming felt a bit excited. If An Daquan truly exists, then does it mean that the one hundred and eight heroes in "Water Margin" and "The Book of Pictures" also had real historical counterparts? The vivid figures of Wu Song, Lu Zhishen, Shi Jin, Wu Yong, Hua Rong, and Lin Chong flashed through his mind. Rationally, he thought, this is simply impossible. Not all characters in Shi Nai'an's novel could have existed in history. According to Jin Shengtan's research, many key figures in "Water Margin" are often fictional, while some non-key figures are based on historical evidence. This means that the characters in "Water Margin" are not entirely fictional; the story may be fabricated, but the characters might indeed have existed.

Acupuncture in its pure form is differentiated; generally speaking, acupuncture is primarily aimed at treating internal bodily ailments, while moxibustion targets external bodily conditions. However, the two can be combined into one. During the period of the Two Jin and Three Kingdoms, many physicians attempted to use acupuncture methods to treat external injuries, achieving some results. The true theoretical and practical framework that emerged from this is the set of the Thirteen Techniques of the Huashi Golden Needle.

Andaoquan informed Xiaoming that the substance injected into his body was a type of fire toxin, which must have involved the use of many hot and dry medicines in that solution. If these fire toxins are not expelled, they will undoubtedly lead to endless troubles over time

Andaoquan shook his head and sighed, "What they may be using on you is likely the latest potion. Fortunately, you took my pills earlier to protect your heart meridian; otherwise, it could have been otherwise"

Xiao Ming indeed knows that he is An Daquan, but An Daquan is also a divine physician! This makes him inevitably recall the stories from "Water Margin". In "Water Margin", An Daquan once treated Song Jiang for a back abscess, earning him the title of divine physician. Xiao Ming is deeply impressed. If this person is An Daquan, could it be that there really was such a figure in history during the Song Dynasty? Did Shi Nai'an also conduct historical research while writing? Could it be that there really was such a figure in history during the Song Dynasty? Did Shi Nai'an also conduct historical research while writing?

However, Xiao Ming is intelligent and learns quickly. Sometimes he is even able to draw inferences from one example to another. An Daoquan initially spoke casually, but to his surprise, Xiao Ming was able to comprehend many concepts on his own. This astonished An Daoquan and piqued his interest, prompting him to teach with even greater dedication. As a result, Xiao Ming mastered more knowledge, and many solutions to complex problems, which were the secrets of An Daoquan's years of experience, were also imparted to Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming's understanding is that he may have undergone some kind of genetic mutation, and the internal skeletal and meridian systems of his body may have been altered. However, he feels energetic and vigorous, which does not seem to be a bad thing. Nevertheless, An Daquan remains very cautious, using golden needles to draw out toxins from him every day, while also engaging him in casual conversations about medical techniques, historical anecdotes, social customs, and tales from the martial arts world.

Andaoquan shook his head and slowly said: "The reason my junior apprentice Gou Juling conspired with Guo Huai to harm me is nothing more than to obtain something from me. He colluded with the demon monk Deng Yuanjue, intending to use this to elevate himself to the position of the chief steward of Mingyue Manor. What a clever scheme!"

Xiao Ming has been using his extraordinary strength these past two days, and now he feels pain in all his bones. The muscles in his arms are burning hot. At the time, he did not feel it; he exerted force with both hands and crossed his arms, causing the blue bricks to shatter and collapse, all without much noise, yet it was incredibly powerful when striking.

"Who is the assistant next to County Magistrate Guo?" Xiao Ming asked, as he now harbored the greatest resentment towards that assistant who had personally administered the medication to him

Hehe, I am indeed An Daquan.

This person is named Gou Juling, and he is my master's junior disciple