Chapter Summaries

Su Ziyang learned that Guo Tianren’s competition would take place in a week, then was tricked by Mr. Mengfei and Daoist Jin into splitting a tractorload of firewood. At dinner, Mr. Mengfei received news that Xuhui’s brother Xuyang had advanced small cell lung cancer, and he told Su Ziyang to come with him the next day.

• Fairy Li told Su Ziyang that Guo Tianren had scheduled the competition for a week later and would choose two of its three events.
• Fairy Li passed on Daoist Jin’s message for Su Ziyang to meet them at the suburban courtyard that afternoon.
• Mr. Mengfei and Daoist Jin made Su Ziyang split a full trailer of logs, leaving him exhausted before taking him out for hot pot.
• Xuhui told Mr. Mengfei that his brother Xuyang had advanced small cell lung cancer and that doctors had advised taking him home.
• Mr. Mengfei agreed to visit Xuhui the next day and told Su Ziyang to come along.

Mr. Mengfei took Su Ziyang on an urgent trip to help treat Xuhui’s younger brother, recruiting the highly reputed Xue Zhen to assist them. After meeting Xue Zhen at the station, the group set off for Xuhui’s home to examine the patient.

• Daoist Master Xiao granted Su Ziyang an unpaid leave so he could accompany Mr. Mengfei on a treatment trip.
• Mr. Mengfei called Xue Zhen, whom Daoist Master Xiao had recommended as an expert, and arranged to meet him in Xuhui’s city.
• Mr. Mengfei and Su Ziyang traveled by train and waited overnight at an inn for Xue Zhen to arrive.
• Su Ziyang used his Qi-gazing method on Xue Zhen and saw a flash of golden light that stung his eyes.
• Xue Zhen met Mr. Mengfei and Su Ziyang at the station, and they called Xuhui to take them to his home.

Su Ziyang and Mr. Mengfei examined Xuyang after Xuhui brought them to his home, where Xuyang was bedridden with advanced lung cancer. Xue Zhen found no sign of gu or a head-lowering curse and left, but the group continued investigating after learning Xuyang’s illness began when he returned from Myanmar.

• Xuhui drove Su Ziyang, Mr. Mengfei, and Xue Zhen to his home to examine Xuyang.
• Xue Zhen inspected Xuyang and the room, found nothing, and left without taking a fee.
• Xuyang woke briefly and greeted the visitors before Xuhui urged him to rest.
• Su Ziyang and Mr. Mengfei reviewed reports showing Xuyang had lung cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes and bones.
• Xuhui told them he had hidden the diagnosis from Xuyang and explained that Xuyang became ill after a company trip to Myanmar.
• Mr. Mengfei explained that they had suspected gu or a head-lowering curse, and he and Xuhui continued examining the circumstances despite Xue Zhen’s findings.

Su Ziyang examined Xuyang and diagnosed his sudden illness as cold evil attacking the lungs, then prescribed a decoction. After Xuhui trusted his judgment and went to prepare the medicine, Su Ziyang learned that Xue Zhen had charged eighteen hundred yuan for his visit and heard Mr. Mengfei describe people like him as incense children.

• Mr. Mengfei tested Xuyang for gu poisoning and curses, found no signs of either, and asked Su Ziyang to examine him.
• Su Ziyang took Xuyang's pulse, noted his breathing difficulty, dry throat, and cold left leg, and diagnosed cold evil taking advantage of the lungs.
• Su Ziyang prescribed Bitter Orange, Tangerine Peel, Balloon Flower Root, Pinellia, Fresh Ginger, and Licorice Decoction, and Xuhui accepted the prescription and went to fetch the medicine.
• Mr. Mengfei praised Su Ziyang's reasoning before calling Old Daoist Master Xiao and paying eighteen hundred yuan for Xue Zhen's visit.
• Su Ziyang told Mr. Mengfei about the golden light he had seen around Xue Zhen, and Mr. Mengfei called people like Xue Zhen incense children.
• Xuhui returned with the medicine and a medicine pot and began decocting the prescription.

Su Ziyang and Mr. Mengfei cared for Xuyang while he received Chinese medicine, and Xuhui’s father arrived to check on his son and entrust his treatment to Mr. Mengfei. After seven doses, Xuyang’s strength improved enough for him to stand, though Su Ziyang remained worried.

• Su Ziyang explained how to prepare and take Chinese medicine and described traditional food taboos.
• Xuhui brought his father, Old Master Xu, to visit Xuyang, and the old man asked Mr. Mengfei to do his utmost to treat him.
• Xuyang rested while his family kept the severity of his lung cancer from him, and he later regained some appetite and energy.
• Mr. Mengfei told Su Ziyang how he had become Xuhui’s fellow disciple, and Xuhui revealed that his father had beaten Mr. Mengfei three times a day during his training.
• After three more days of medicine, Xuyang got to his feet, relatives began visiting, and Su Ziyang felt secretly worried.

After Xuyang caught a cold, Su Ziyang and Mr. Mengfei feared his lung cancer made the illness dangerous, and Mr. Mengfei soon had to leave to handle the matter with Guo Tianren. Xuyang later described a frightening dream of black figures, prompting Su Ziyang and Xuhui to seek help from a local spiritual medium or shaman.

• Xuyang insisted on going to the market despite Su Ziyang's concerns about the cold weather, then returned home sweating while the others felt chilled.
• Xuyang developed cold symptoms, and Su Ziyang and Mr. Mengfei examined his pulse before Xuhui gave him Minor Bupleurum Granules.
• Su Ziyang explained to Xuhui that Xuyang's lung cancer made a respiratory infection dangerous, and they went out to buy more medicine and fever medicine.
• Mr. Mengfei departed to help Daoist Jin prepare medicine for the unresolved matter with Guo Tianren, leaving Su Ziyang to watch over Xuyang.
• Xuyang awoke from a nightmare about foul-smelling black figures trying to grab him, and Su Ziyang urged Xuhui to contact a trusted local medium or shaman.
• Xuhui contacted a friend about finding a powerful local medium, while Su Ziyang told Mr. Mengfei, who agreed with the plan.

Su Ziyang and Xuhui took the worsening Xuyang to a famous spirit medium, but Third Granny found no evil influence and advised them to seek medical treatment. After Xuyang’s symptoms changed, Su Ziyang diagnosed cold in the spleen and prescribed a new herbal decoction, leaving the group to begin another course of treatment.

• Su Ziyang, Xuhui, and Xuyang visited Third Granny, who struggled to light the incense and told them Xuyang’s illness was not caused by evil spirits.
• Xuhui took Xuyang to the hospital, where the scans showed little change, and Su Ziyang continued his medicine.
• Xuyang developed severe hip pain and bowel problems, while Su Ziyang found his pulse had become rough and sunken.
• Su Ziyang diagnosed cold in the spleen and prescribed Zhishi Baizhu Fuling Gancao Decoction, which Xuhui went to obtain.

Xuyang suffered severe leg pain after taking Su Ziyang’s second prescription, and Xuhui suspected he had been struck by a Yin Arrow near a grave in Yun n. Xuhui’s father-in-law treated Xuyang and persuaded Xuhui to inherit his family’s ritual practices, leaving Xuhui with a bundle of ancient books.

• Xuyang endured a sudden bout of piercing leg pain that eased after about ten minutes, and he told Xuhui he had often run past a grave near his factory in Yun n.
• Xuhui suspected Xuyang had been struck by a Yin Arrow and decided to bring in his father-in-law to remove it.
• Xuhui’s father-in-law drew three talismans on Xuyang’s leg and traced patterns above it, after which Xuyang said the pain had improved.
• Xuhui’s father-in-law asked Xuhui to inherit his family’s practices and pass them on to a suitable person, and Xuhui agreed to learn.
• Xuhui returned alone with a large bundle of ancient books from his father-in-law’s home, including volumes dating back to the Yuan dynasty.

Su Ziyang questioned Xuhui about hiding his books, and Xuhui explained the burden of carrying on the work of a mage. After Xuyang developed a high fever following the Yin Arrow dispelling, Xuhui called his father-in-law for help, who offered to come examine him again.

• Xuhui refused to let Su Ziyang look at his old books and explained that mages took on dangerous work that needed to be passed down.
• Su Ziyang checked Xuyang’s pulse and discovered that his heart rate had become unusually fast.
• Su Ziyang took Xuyang’s temperature and found it had risen to thirty-nine degrees.
• Xuhui gave Xuyang fever medicine after he reported only mild head discomfort.
• Xuhui called his father-in-law, who said the talisman should have lowered a fever and offered to return to examine Xuyang.

Su Ziyang struggled to bring down Xuyang’s persistent fever and, after seeing his symptoms worsen, prescribed Tao Hongjing’s Greater White Tiger Decoction. Xuhui obtained the ingredients and began preparing it, leaving Xuyang’s condition unresolved.

• Xuhui’s father-in-law examined Xuyang and advised that he see a doctor, but Xuyang’s fever remained high despite medicine.
• Su Ziyang tried Daoist Jin’s fever-reducing techniques, but Xuyang’s fever did not improve.
• Xuhui called Doctor Liu, who suggested possible infection or tumor-related fever and recommended returning to the hospital, prompting Xuhui to vent his frustration.
• Su Ziyang found Xuyang sweating heavily, then observed that his fever persisted and his mouth was dry, his cough continued, and his pulse had become surging and full.
• As Xuyang grew hazy by evening, Su Ziyang prescribed the Greater White Tiger Decoction based on his symptoms.
• Xuhui used his connections to obtain the ingredients and began brewing the decoction.

After Xuyang returned to his old home with Xuhui and Su Ziyang, he reunited with old friends as his health continued to decline. A strange bat flew from the kitchen after Su Ziyang scattered medicine, and Su Ziyang later twisted his ankle outside, leaving Xuhui alarmed.

• Xuhui took Xuyang, who could no longer walk, back to their village home at Xuyang's request.
• Xuyang named his old friend Li Guangquan, and Xuhui brought him from the county town to visit; Li Guangquan fed Xuyang and wept with him.
• Xuhui invited Xuyang's relatives and old friends to visit, then tried to prepare Xuyang's medicine the following evening.
• Su Ziyang felt a cold breeze, threw medicine behind him, and the stove lit as a bat shrieked and flew out of the house.
• Su Ziyang went outside to find phone reception, slipped on a round pebble, and twisted his ankle.
• Xuhui found Su Ziyang sitting on the ground in pain and worried that he had been hurt.

After twisting his ankle, Su Ziyang recognized the eight-angled lotus in Xuhui’s courtyard and used its root to treat Xuyang, whose strange illness worsened before he expelled foul black matter and fell asleep. Su Ziyang and Xuhui cleaned the room and waited to see how Xuyang would be after waking, while Su Ziyang’s attempts to contact Mr. Mengfei went unanswered.

• Su Ziyang twisted his ankle, and Xuhui helped him inside and gave him Yunnan Baiyao spray.
• Su Ziyang identified Xuhui’s eight-angled lotus and asked to use its root, known as mayapple root, for Xuyang’s suspicious illness.
• Xuhui ground the root into powder, and Xuyang swallowed a spoonful at Su Ziyang’s recommended dose.
• About forty minutes later, Xuyang passed foul black matter and vomited greenish-black liquid before falling asleep.
• Su Ziyang and Xuhui cleaned Xuyang’s room, and Xuhui went to cook congee while Su Ziyang tried to contact Mr. Mengfei.
• Su Ziyang received no reply from Mr. Mengfei and returned to his room to rest.

After Xuyang died despite Su Ziyang’s efforts, Su Ziyang struggled with whether his grief came from caring for Xuyang or from failing to cure him. Mr. Mengfei helped him confront his motives, and seven days later Old Master Xu thanked him for extending Xuyang’s life.

• Su Ziyang returned from buying beans to find that Xuyang had died, and Xuhui sent him to stay at a guesthouse during the funeral customs.
• Su Ziyang told Mr. Mengfei about Xuyang’s death, then admitted that his sorrow came more from his failure as a doctor than from personal grief.
• Mr. Mengfei told Su Ziyang that doctors could treat illness but not fate, and that compassion needed to be paired with strong medical skill.
• Seven days later, Old Master Xu visited Su Ziyang with Xuhui and gave him two jars of homemade honey in thanks for keeping Xuyang alive a few more days.

Su Ziyang returned to work still grieving, then learned that Guo Tianren’s first contest would be a martial arts match. At the match, he faced the muscular Wu Yun and prepared to defend himself as Wu Yun charged.

• Su Ziyang returned to the clinic after seeing Xuhui off, and Fairy Li told him to rest for the contest the next day.
• Su Ziyang traveled to the meeting place, where Mr. Mengfei and Daoist Jin explained that Yang Jinguang had protected Guo Tianren because he was the son of Yang’s dear friend.
• Su Ziyang met Guo Tianren, Zhang Guozhou, and the muscular man in white, Wu Yun, who was chosen to fight him.
• Wu Yun introduced himself and threatened to kill Su Ziyang, but Su Ziyang stopped him to ask whether he really intended to beat him to death.
• Wu Yun charged again, and Su Ziyang lowered his center of gravity and circulated Qi to his feet to meet the attack.

Su Ziyang fought Wu Yun, whose Chuojiao techniques relied on dangerous kicks and attacks to vital points. Su Ziyang withstood one kick and baited Wu Yun into charging again, then launched a counterattack that made him leap back.

• Wu Yun lunged at Su Ziyang and tried to strike his lower abdomen, but Su Ziyang dodged and attacked Wu Yun's back before they switched positions.
• Wu Yun pressured Su Ziyang, then struck his lower abdomen with a powerful backward kick that Su Ziyang endured with his training.
• Mr. Mengfei recognized Wu Yun's style as Chuojiao, while Daoist Jin warned Su Ziyang to guard his groin.
• Guo Tianren objected when Daoist Jin advised Su Ziyang from the sidelines, and Wu Yun angrily shouted at Mr. Mengfei and Su Ziyang.
• Su Ziyang taunted Wu Yun about targeting the groin, dodged another kick, and thrust both hands toward him, prompting Wu Yun to leap back.

Su Ziyang used acupoint strikes and evasive footwork to defeat Wu Yun, but his own injuries worsened after the match. Back at his lodging, Fairy Li stayed to care for him while he recovered.

• Su Ziyang combined Baguazhang footwork with acupoint strikes, numbed Wu Yun’s leg, and won the match.
• Yang Jinguang declared the victory and arranged the remaining matches for the same time the next day.
• Su Ziyang collapsed after the opponents left, and Mr. Mengfei examined him before the group helped him return to his lodging.
• Su Ziyang aggravated his swollen ankle when he tried to get up, then let Fairy Li help him bathe and apply medicine to his injuries.
• Fairy Li went out to buy groceries and promised to make Su Ziyang bone soup.

Fairy Li made Su Ziyang drink her unpleasant bone soup while he recovered from his injuries. At the second competition, Guo Tianren proposed an acupoint contest using two goats, and Su Ziyang tried to save the goat his side had chosen after the opposing elder struck it.

• Fairy Li made Su Ziyang drink all the herbal-tasting bone soup before he could go to sleep.
• Su Ziyang returned to the competition hall with Fairy Li, where Guo Tianren arrived with two goats and proposed a contest to see whose goat died first after an acupoint strike.
• Fairy Li objected to killing the goats, so Old Daoist Master Xiao proposed that Su Ziyang unseal the chosen goat's acupoints while the other side tried to disable it.
• After the tall, thin old man struck the goat in the neck and belly, Su Ziyang gave it a traumatic-injury pill and identified its injured Fengchi and Qihai acupoints.
• Su Ziyang tried to release the goat's acupoints by pressing a human-model Jianjing point on its shoulder, and the goat sprang to its feet with a bleat.

Su Ziyang learned that the lamb had been killed by Iron Sand Palm, then watched Yang Tianzheng defeat Yang Jinguang in a contest to mark the body’s acupoints. When Yang Jinguang’s side tried to take the rhinoceros-horn hairpin by force, Yang Tianzheng fought them off.

• Su Ziyang watched the lamb die and was told by Mr. Mengfei that the tall, thin old man had used Iron Sand Palm to fatally damage its organs.
• Mr. Mengfei revealed that the group had taken the rhinoceros-horn hairpin as spoils, and Su Ziyang gave it to Fairy Li.
• Mr. Mengfei introduced Su Ziyang to Yang Tianzheng, then brought him to the next contest against Guo Tianren and Yang Jinguang.
• Yang Tianzheng challenged the other side to mark acupoints on anatomical charts, and Yang Jinguang lost after marking fewer points and making errors.
• Yang Jinguang demanded the hairpin back and had three men surround Su Ziyang, so Yang Tianzheng used Tai Chi to throw two attackers and make Wu Yun retreat.

Su Ziyang watched Yang Tianzheng defeat Yang Jinguang before learning that the martial arts match had been a police operation to arrest a fraud ring. Back home, Mr. Mengfei arranged for Yang Tianzheng to teach Su Ziyang, who accepted him as another master without knowing what he would learn.

• Yang Jinguang displayed his strength and challenged Yang Tianzheng, who knocked him down with Tai Chi Chuan.
• Yang Jinguang attacked Yang Tianzheng with a rope dart, but suddenly collapsed as uniformed officers arrived and arrested the fraud ring.
• Yang Jinguang broke his restraints and struck Yang Tianzheng with them, so the officers subdued him again and took Yang Tianzheng to the hospital.
• Mr. Mengfei explained that the match had been a plan to catch the criminals, and Su Ziyang realized his master and companions had kept him in the dark.
• Su Ziyang returned home, where his companions teased him and Yang Tianzheng arrived with his head bandaged.
• Mr. Mengfei persuaded Yang Tianzheng to teach Su Ziyang by offering kinam agarwood and threatening to tell his father, and Su Ziyang called Yang Tianzheng Master.

Yang Tianzheng began teaching Su Ziyang acupuncture and described the Thirteen Needles of the Ghost Gate, including a case where the technique stopped a supposedly possessed girl. He then recounted a disturbing treatment from three years earlier, when a patient’s voice warned him not to interfere, and left everyone waiting to hear what the voice had demanded.

• Yang Tianzheng agreed to teach Su Ziyang acupuncture and moxibustion, and advised him to study the Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion.
• Yang Tianzheng explained the Thirteen Needles of the Ghost Gate and recounted treating a girl whose voices and violent behavior stopped after he used several needles.
• Su Ziyang asked Yang Tianzheng to name all thirteen points, and Yang Tianzheng listed them, including the final point beneath the tongue.
• Mr. Mengfei teased Yang Tianzheng about a past failure, prompting Yang Tianzheng to chase him before Old Daoist Master Xiao calmed them down.
• Yang Tianzheng described treating a man with long-term madness three years earlier, when a woman’s voice emerged from him after the fifth needle and warned Yang Tianzheng to stop interfering.