First Encounter with Acupuncture

Several of them returned together to Doctor Li's pharmacy. The rear courtyard was his residence. The woman went back into a side room, and before long, the fragrance of cooking drifted up in waves. Wang Anfeng and the refined man sat in the study. Though the room was not large, two entire bookshelves stood crammed with books. An ancient volume lay atop the desk. The youth glanced at it and saw several inked characters: "Twelve Viscera Manifestation Chapter." He understood at once that it was likely a medical text.

"Hehe, it's a small place, a small place. Worthy nephew, please don't take offense."

The refined man looked slightly embarrassed as he hastily cleared away the clutter on the desk and bed, making a clean space before inviting Wang Anfeng to sit. His right hand rubbed the heavy wine pot, and a trace of nostalgia appeared on his face. After a long while, he sighed and said:

"Brother Li... is he well?"

Wang Anfeng nodded. "Very well. He drinks wine and eats meat every day, full of vigor. He's no worse than a young man."

The man smiled at that. "Listen to what a foolish question I asked... I was muddleheaded. Brother Li's martial arts are so formidable, his qi and blood so abundant, his body so strong—even if I were buried in the earth, he would probably still be drinking and eating meat to his heart's content."

Wang Anfeng was slightly startled. He had vaguely guessed that Uncle Li possessed martial arts, but he had never imagined they had reached such a level. The doctor before him was no more than thirty-odd years old, yet from his tone, Uncle Li's body seemed far stronger than his own. He could not help but grow more curious about that old man who had always been so familiar to him. After hesitating for a moment, his youthful nature won out, and unable to contain himself, he asked:

"Uncle Li... how did you meet Uncle Li back then?"

"He sent you to find me, yet he never told you of our relationship? Brother Li's temperament truly hasn't changed one bit in twenty years..."

Li Kangsheng was also stunned for a moment. Then he shook his head and laughed. Though he was smiling, a trace of reminiscence surfaced on his face. He shook the wine pot in his hand, sighed, and slowly began recounting what had happened all those years ago. During that time, the woman warmed some wine and food and brought it over. Li Kangsheng simply drank as he spoke, sinking into the memories of those distant days.

It began twenty years ago.

At that time, Li Kangsheng was not yet the renowned doctor he was today. He was merely a fledgling young man, roaming the martial world on the strength of his inherited medical skills. The world had not been as peaceful then as it was now, and bandits often appeared along the roads. He had been captured and held at knifepoint, forced to treat the injured meridians of a bandit chief. Yet though he had been young, his stubborn nature had not changed in the slightest. He craned his neck and cursed the bandit leader in rage.

Just when he himself believed he would never escape death, a middle-aged hero arrived with booming laughter, swift as thunder and lightning. With only a few afterimages, he slaughtered every bandit on the mountain. Then he escorted Li Kangsheng to this city. Along the way, their temperaments suited one another well. One was stubborn and upright, the other bold and unrestrained, and thus they became friends. Yet how could there be a feast in this world that never ended? The day of parting could not be avoided in the end.

By the time he spoke of that parting, seventeen or eighteen years had passed. Li Kangsheng drank deeply again and again, a flush faintly rising over his refined face. He set the Mystic Crystal Pot aside, raised a hand to grip Wang Anfeng's arm tightly, and said in a slurred voice:

"This wine pot never left Brother Li's side back then. I—I knew at a glance that your relationship with him was far from shallow. Since you've come here, hic, then—then treat this place as your own home. Don't stand on ceremony... Stay as long as you like. How about—how about Uncle Li arranges a marriage for you... Then you can stay here permanently."

The refined man's bearing had become wild and uninhibited. Clearly, he could not hold his liquor and was thoroughly drunk. He gave Wang Anfeng's arm a hard shake and said:

"I have a daughter, Yanan. Her age—her age differs from yours by only four or five years. How about... worthy nephew, how about we write the marriage contract right here? You can take it back and show Brother Li. Our two families will be kin upon kin..."

Having said that, Li Kangsheng actually staggered to his feet, turned, and began rummaging through the paper scrolls. He ground ink and readied a brush, about to put it to paper. Perhaps because he was drunk, there was a certain carefree, wandering-hero flair to his brushwork. Watching this unfold, Wang Anfeng felt unable to sit still, despite having just won a great victory. Cold sweat seeped from his forehead as he had no idea how to handle such a matter.

Let him have his way? Not only did Wang Anfeng strongly dislike the idea of casually deciding a daughter's fate, but his master's words still echoed in his heart.

Try to persuade him? But looking at him, how could he possibly be persuaded? To make him stop, it seemed he would have to knock him unconscious. Yet neither his father nor Uncle Li had ever taught him to strike a kind elder.

Just as Wang Anfeng was at a complete loss, a soft, pale hand suddenly reached out. Then two gleaming Silver needles flew straight into Li Kangsheng's back. The man's body stiffened, then swayed slightly before collapsing directly onto the table. Snoring sounded out moments later. Wang Anfeng was startled and turned around, only to see the gentle and graceful Aunt watching her husband with a wry smile. He could not help blurting out in surprise:

"This... Auntie, you know martial arts?!"

"Martial arts? I am merely a woman of the household. How could I know any martial arts..."

The woman was also slightly stunned, then quickly understood. Pointing at the Silver needles, she explained:

"This is not martial arts, merely my family's acupuncture technique. There are eleven acupoints on the human body that can help one sleep. I only inserted needles into my husband's Fengfu point and the two points behind his ears... He was already quite drunk, in any case. I have made a fool of myself before worthy nephew."

"As for that marriage agreement just now... Yanan is only seven years old. Please do not take it seriously..."

As she spoke, she bowed to Wang Anfeng with an apologetic yet resolute expression. The youth hurriedly stepped aside to avoid her bow. After steadying himself, he smiled.

"It was only drunken nonsense... I drank a little as well, and my head is foggy. By tomorrow, I probably won't remember anything clearly... Did Uncle Li say anything just now?"

The woman stared blankly at Wang Anfeng's completely unaffected expression, then smiled as well. "Auntie was overthinking it. Nothing happened just now."

Wang Anfeng smiled again, then looked at the refined man sleeping beside them. "Uncle Li is drunk like this. May I ask which room belongs to Uncle and Auntie? I'll carry him to the bed." Looking at her soundly sleeping husband, the woman's eyes showed a trace of anger. She said bitterly, "Drinking recklessly despite being unable to hold his liquor is lacking self-knowledge. Failing to set an example before the younger generation is failing propriety. Speaking reckless nonsense is lacking composure. He has broken so many of a gentleman's ten precepts in one go. He deserves to catch a chill here!"

"Anfeng, don't bother with him. Come, Aunt has prepared a guest room for you. Wash up properly and rest."

Even as she bitterly complained about Li Kangsheng, she turned around and warmly took Wang Anfeng away. The youth looked back at Li Kangsheng, whose face was smeared with ink, and sighed inwardly. Sure enough, wine can lead to mishaps. It affects one's temperament and makes one do what one would never dare to do, yet it can also cause endless trouble. Master truly did not deceive me. Wine must not be touched.

After leaving the study and turning a corner, they arrived at the side room where he would stay. It was not large, but it had been tidied until it was exceptionally clean and orderly, with brand-new bedding laid out. Wang Anfeng bade Li Kangsheng's wife good night. After washing up, he lay down on the bed. Its touch was completely different from the hard plank bed in Great Liang Mountain, softly wrapping around him like spring shoots. The fragrance of medicinal herbs filled his nose and mouth.

Yet lying on that bed, Wang Anfeng could not fall asleep for a long time. Today was the first time he had fought someone, and he had easily defeated several burly men. His thoughts could not help but churn. Outside, he had still been able to uphold the manners his father had taught him, but now that he was alone, an intense excitement still surged through him.

He silently recited "A gentleman is cautious when alone" several times in his heart, but the excitement only grew stronger. Suddenly, he remembered that he had not yet gone to the Shaolin Sect today. Now that he was at Uncle Li's home and night had already fallen, disappearing for half an hour should not matter. He immediately raised his arm and whispered to the string of Buddhist beads:

"I want to return to Shaolin Temple and find Master!"