Chapter Summaries

Yang Tianzheng recounted how reckless needling once brought him three years of bad luck, then warned Su Ziyang to use acupuncture with care. He began teaching Su Ziyang the Eight Methods of Flying and Soaring and left him to memorize its chart and the relationships among the eight extraordinary-meridian points.

• Yang Tianzheng told the group that he had needled a patient despite her warning, suffered sleep paralysis and three years of misfortune, and eventually waited for the trouble to pass.
• Su Ziyang asked Old Daoist Master Xiao whether an apprentice could leave a lineage, and Mr. Mengfei joked that their lineage punished deserters by breaking their limbs.
• Yang Tianzheng stayed behind to teach Su Ziyang acupuncture and praised him for correctly naming the eight needling techniques.
• Yang Tianzheng introduced the Eight Methods of Flying and Soaring and guided Su Ziyang in drawing its Luo River Book chart with the eight points and trigrams.
• Su Ziyang recited the Song of the Eight Confluent Points, and Yang Tianzheng explained how the points were grouped as father and mother, husband and wife, male and female, and host and guest.

Su Ziyang learned how to calculate acupuncture points and apply the Eight Methods of Flying and Soaring from Yang Tianzheng, then joined his masters and Fairy Li for a meal. The group told him they would leave town the next day, leaving Yang Tianzheng to continue teaching him.

• Fairy Li took Su Ziyang to eat a vegetarian meal at the Daoist temple, and he returned to studying the Eight Methods of Flying and Soaring.
• Yang Tianzheng taught Su Ziyang how to calculate the daily and hourly stems and branches to select acupuncture points, and Su Ziyang correctly identified Zulinqi for an example.
• Yang Tianzheng explained when to use the technique, how needling varied by season and point, and warned Su Ziyang to use syndrome-based treatment if a patient needed another visit.
• After finding missed calls from Mr. Mengfei, Daoist Jin, and Fairy Li, Su Ziyang went to Xiangdangdang Barbecue and was tricked into eating twenty lamb kidneys.
• Mr. Mengfei told Su Ziyang that he, Daoist Jin, and Fairy Li would be going out of town the next day, and said Su Ziyang should continue studying with Yang Tianzheng.

After an awkward meal and Fairy Li’s insistence that Su Ziyang take her home, Su Ziyang’s workday was interrupted by a mother and son sent by Daoist Jin. The family returned with the boy’s father, and the boy suddenly threw a playing card at Su Ziyang.

• Su Ziyang ate twenty large kidneys and one chicken wing at the meal, and Fairy Li later insisted that he take her home because she was drunk.
• A middle-aged woman brought her son to Su Ziyang’s clinic, but the boy called him dangerous and ran away after Su Ziyang let him go.
• Su Ziyang called Daoist Jin, who explained that the mother and son were his longtime patients and had been sent to Su Ziyang for treatment.
• The mother returned with her son and his father, who made the boy sit down and smacked him when he again warned that Su Ziyang was dangerous.
• Su Ziyang tried to speak gently to the boy, but the boy suddenly pulled out a children’s playing card and threw it at him.

Su Ziyang treated a boy who claimed to have a system, gently steering him into explaining his abilities after the boy attacked him with homemade projectiles. The boy left with his father, and his mother stayed behind to speak with Su Ziyang.

• The boy threw a card at Su Ziyang, then scattered paper, sand, and confetti at him while claiming his system had detected a threat.
• Su Ziyang calmed the boy and stopped his father from hitting him, then asked him to explain the system.
• The boy said his system could detect enemies and reveal their combat power and abilities, though it could not yet assess Su Ziyang or his father.
• The boy described his system's lottery and Weapon Blueprint Skill functions and showed Su Ziyang cards fitted with iron buttons.
• The boy left with his father, while his mother remained to talk with Su Ziyang.

Su Ziyang diagnosed Jiang Yuhang’s months of bizarre talk as an injury to his lung Qi and prescribed Soul-Calming Powder. When Jiang Yuhang refused the medicine, Su Ziyang used a Tai Chi move to impress him into taking it, then returned to cleaning his room as someone approached.

• Jiang Yuhang’s mother told Su Ziyang that her son had been talking about weapons, a system, and imaginary injuries for several months.
• Su Ziyang prescribed Jiang Yuhang seven doses of Soul-Calming Powder based on a traditional medical record, without checking his pulse or tongue.
• Jiang Yuhang refused the medicine and charged at Su Ziyang, who restrained him and brought him into the consultation room to avoid his father’s anger.
• Su Ziyang claimed the medicine would help Jiang Yuhang upgrade his system, then demonstrated Cloud Hands to persuade him to take it.
• Jiang Yuhang agreed to leave with his father, and Su Ziyang mopped the floor before hearing high heels at the door.

Han Xixi asked Su Ziyang to make a house call for a nine-year-old girl, and he agreed to examine her after work. At Han Xixi’s brother’s villa, Su Ziyang found her family consulting Master Yan, who had not yet noticed him.

• Han Xixi told Su Ziyang that her shoulder condition had healed after seven doses of his medicine and asked him to visit a sick girl.
• Su Ziyang agreed to go after work, and Han Xixi drove him to an upscale villa.
• Han Xixi asked whether Su Ziyang could exorcise spirits or tell fortunes, and he said he could only treat illnesses.
• Su Ziyang entered Han Xixi’s brother’s home and found her brother, sister-in-law, and Master Yan discussing the girl’s condition.
• Han Xixi pointed out that her family had ignored Su Ziyang, and her brother turned around to ask who he was.

Han Jinkai introduced Su Ziyang to Master Yan, the Daoist expert he had invited to help his family, and the two men exchanged tense but courteous remarks. Master Yan read Han Xixi’s fortune and then went upstairs with Han Jinkai and his wife to examine their daughter, while Han Xixi approached Su Ziyang.

• Han Xixi introduced Su Ziyang to her eldest brother, Han Jinkai, and Master Yan.
• Master Yan disparaged Su Ziyang for having no sect, but Su Ziyang calmly explained that he only practiced medicine and did not conflict with Master Yan’s work.
• Han Jinkai asked Master Yan to read Han Xixi’s fortune, and Master Yan predicted success in her career within three years and marriage within one or two years.
• Han Jinkai asked Master Yan to examine his daughter, and Master Yan led Han Jinkai and his wife upstairs while Han Xixi went over to Su Ziyang.

Su Ziyang examined Han Jinkai’s daughter Xuanxuan, whose extreme thinness and extraordinary agility alarmed her family. Master Yan declared that a cat demon possessed her and tried to subdue her with a talisman, but Xuanxuan dodged it and tore it apart, leaving the situation unresolved.

• Han Xixi told Su Ziyang that she thought Master Yan was a swindler and hurried him upstairs to see Xuanxuan.
• Han Jinkai unlocked a heavily secured room, and Xuanxuan rushed out to cling to Han Xixi.
• Xuanxuan displayed astonishing agility by balancing on the stair railing and leaping down to the first floor.
• Han Jinkai asked Master Yan for help, and Master Yan claimed Xuanxuan was possessed by a cat demon.
• Master Yan threw a talisman at Xuanxuan, but she dodged it and tore it in half.
• Han Xixi picked Xuanxuan up before Master Yan could try another talisman.

Su Ziyang challenged Master Yan’s diagnosis of Xuanxuan’s supposed cat demon and insisted that she had hyperactivity. After Han Jinkai reluctantly let him try, Su Ziyang pressed Xuanxuan’s Houxi acupoint, and she immediately fell asleep.

• Xuanxuan tore up Master Yan’s talisman, bounced onto a wine cabinet, and jumped down unharmed after Han Xixi promised to take her to the amusement park.
• Master Yan failed to calm Xuanxuan with his Daoist arts and claimed a cat demon had merged with her three souls and seven spirits.
• Su Ziyang laughed at Master Yan’s claims, clashed with him and Han Jinkai, and said Xuanxuan had hyperactivity rather than a demon attached to her.
• Master Yan wagered that Su Ziyang would have to lick the floor if he could not solve Xuanxuan’s problem, and Su Ziyang accepted.
• With Han Jinkai’s wife’s agreement, Su Ziyang calculated Xuanxuan’s Houxi acupoint and pressed it using the Drilling Force technique, causing her to become quiet and fall asleep.

Su Ziyang calmed Xuanxuan with acupuncture, diagnosed the causes and symptoms of her illness, and prescribed medicine for her. After Han Jinkai and Yan Zhijie recognized his abilities, Su Ziyang left for his clinic with Yan Zhijie following him.

• Han Jinkai accused Su Ziyang of drugging Xuanxuan, but Han Xixi defended him, and Han Jinkai found no sign of an injection.
• Su Ziyang explained Xuanxuan’s symptoms and their likely cause, and Han Jinkai realized he had accurately described her illness without being told.
• Han Jinkai apologized and praised Su Ziyang, while Yan Zhijie admitted he had wrongly looked down on him after Su Ziyang recognized his connection to an immortal spirit.
• Su Ziyang explained that he had used the Eight Methods of Flying and Soaring to make Xuanxuan sleep, then wrote her a prescription for five doses of Bupleurum Decoction with Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell.
• Su Ziyang left for work at his clinic, and Yan Zhijie insisted on accompanying him.

Su Ziyang returned to the clinic with Yan Zhijie and faced Yang Tianzheng after missing their training session. Yang Tianzheng later began daily sparring sessions that left Su Ziyang bruised, but he brought him medicinal wine afterward, leaving Su Ziyang wondering if he had misjudged his master.

• Su Ziyang brought Yan Zhijie to his consultation room, where Yang Tianzheng confronted him for missing their lunch-break lesson.
• Yan Zhijie vouched for Su Ziyang, and Yang Tianzheng left without arguing further.
• Yang Tianzheng tested Su Ziyang’s Baguazhang, knocked him down, and struck his backside three times with a baton.
• Su Ziyang called Mr. Mengfei, who laughed at him and then told Yang Tianzheng he had exposed their plan to make him the training villain.
• Yang Tianzheng brought medicinal wine to Su Ziyang’s home, left it by the door, and told him about it over the phone.
• Su Ziyang retrieved the wine and wondered whether he had misunderstood Yang Tianzheng.

Su Ziyang treated Han Wenxuan and Yu Xiushui, while Yang Tianzheng continued training him in medicine and martial arts. The chapter ended with Yu Xiushui cured by Yang Tianzheng’s Dragon-Tiger Battle acupuncture and Yang Tianzheng asking Su Ziyang about his remark on his hand speed.

• Su Ziyang received Han Xixi and Han Jinkai, examined Han Wenxuan, and prescribed medicine to help her regain her strength.
• Han Xixi insisted that Su Ziyang accept a watch as thanks for treating Han Wenxuan, and he reluctantly let her put it on his wrist.
• Su Ziyang diagnosed Yu Xiushui with lower-back and knee pain along with digestive problems, prescribed medicine, and tried standard acupuncture.
• When Su Ziyang’s acupuncture only eased Yu Xiushui’s pain, Yang Tianzheng demonstrated Dragon-Tiger Battle and made the pain disappear.
• Su Ziyang imitated Yang Tianzheng’s technique to treat Yu Xiushui’s knee, and Yang Tianzheng later asked him what he had said about his hand speed.

Su Ziyang demonstrated acupuncture techniques to Yang Tianzheng, who tested his finger strength and praised his progress. Yang Tianzheng gave him gold and silver needles, and Su Ziyang ended the chapter by proudly sharing photos of them online.

• Yang Tianzheng made Su Ziyang recite and demonstrate acupuncture techniques using a pad of bound xuan paper and silver needles.
• Su Ziyang bent two needles before realizing they were soft silver, then used finger strength to insert one into the pad and demonstrated several techniques.
• Yang Tianzheng approved Su Ziyang's performance, advised him that treating people required more practice, and tested his knowledge of techniques for opening passes and clearing joints.
• Yang Tianzheng gave Su Ziyang a set of gold needles with silver handles and explained the significance of the nineteen gold needles and fourteen silver needles.
• Su Ziyang photographed both sets of needles, posted them on Moments, and happily responded to comments praising them.

Su Ziyang intervened when an elderly patient fainted during Fu Xinyu’s acupuncture, then clashed with Fu over his involvement. At lunch, Yang Tianzheng taught Su traditional acupuncture taboos, while warning that he did not believe they should prevent treatment.

• Su Ziyang removed the needles from an elderly man who had fainted during Fu Xinyu’s acupuncture and helped him recover.
• Fu Xinyu challenged Su Ziyang for interfering, then mocked him again as he left the clinic.
• Yang Tianzheng teased Su Ziyang about Fu Xinyu, and Su explained their argument over lunch.
• Yang Tianzheng taught Su Ziyang the Human Spirit, Sacral Spirit, seasonal, and calendar-day acupuncture taboos.
• Yang Tianzheng said the taboos were likely later traditions and should not stop doctors from treating patients.

Su Ziyang studied Yang Tianzheng’s handwritten Taoist Umbilical Acupuncture booklet and learned its diagnostic methods and needle combinations. When Yu Xiushui brought her friend Li Shuhua to the clinic, Su Ziyang recognized her long-standing bloating and tried the Mountain and Lake Qi Circulation technique on her.

• Yang Tianzheng gave Su Ziyang a booklet on Taoist Umbilical Acupuncture and left him to study it.
• Su Ziyang read about examining navel shapes and positions, needling around the navel, and using trigrams, earthly branches, and hexagrams to guide acupuncture.
• Yu Xiushui visited with her friend Li Shuhua and said her own pain had disappeared after her previous treatment with Su Ziyang and his master.
• Su Ziyang took Li Shuhua’s pulse, noticed a pronounced guan pulse, and asked whether she had bloating.
• Su Ziyang decided to apply the Mountain and Lake Qi Circulation method he had just studied and began needling Li Shuhua’s abdomen.

Su Ziyang used Taoist Umbilical Acupuncture to cure Li Shuhua’s long-standing ailment, then dealt with Fu Xinyu’s attempt to take the technique. A week later, Su Ziyang examined a young man with severe stomach pain and concluded that he was not sick.

• Su Ziyang treated Li Shuhua with two acupuncture needles, and she passed gas until her long-standing ailment was cured.
• Fu Xinyu tried to get Su Ziyang to teach him Taoist Umbilical Acupuncture, but Su refused and put the booklet away.
• Yang Tianzheng told Su Ziyang that Fu Xinyu’s uncle was a powerful backer of the clinic and advised him to avoid Fu.
• Li Shuhua and Yu Xiushui referred many elderly women to Su Ziyang for acupuncture, keeping him busy throughout the week.
• A middle-aged man brought his son to Su Ziyang with worsening stomach pain, but Su found no appendicitis tenderness and felt a healthy pulse.
• Su Ziyang told the anxious father that he thought the young man was not sick.

Su Ziyang and the clinic’s supervisors faced a staged medical complaint, but he exposed the patient’s fake symptoms and the police questioned the complainants. The two fraudsters escaped and revealed they had been paid by Brother Fu to damage Su Ziyang’s reputation, while Su returned to work warned to watch for further trouble.

• A middle-aged man accused Su Ziyang of failing to treat his son and grabbed him while drawing a crowd at the clinic.
• Daoist Master Xiao Yang and Zhao Keqin intervened, and Su Ziyang told them he suspected the son was faking his illness.
• When the young man began convulsing and foaming at the mouth, Su Ziyang found his pulse steady and confirmed privately that he was pretending.
• Zhao Keqin called the police, and two officers questioned the middle-aged man until the young man woke and the pair hurried away.
• Er Biao and the middle-aged man revealed outside the clinic that they had staged the incident for Brother Fu, who paid them to ruin Su Ziyang’s reputation.
• The officers warned Su Ziyang about professional medical troublemakers, and Daoist Master Xiao Yang reassured him before he resumed work.

Su Ziyang heard Wen Hua’s warning about medical-dispute troublemakers while Er Biao and Lao Huang extorted extra compensation from a county hospital by staging a fake medical crisis. Afterward, Er Biao suffered a severe nosebleed and discovered a red line on his arm, then searched online and feared the results before taking anti-inflammatory pills and falling asleep.

• Wen Hua asked Su Ziyang about the medical disturbance, and he explained what had happened; she warned him to watch out for jealous rivals.
• Er Biao and Lao Huang went to a county hospital to demand compensation for Huang Juanjuan and staged a sit-in when the director refused their demands.
• Er Biao pretended to convulse and foam at the mouth when hospital staff tried to move him, prompting the deputy director to negotiate a settlement of about one hundred thousand yuan.
• Er Biao and Lao Huang signed the settlement, split their payment, and then Er Biao developed a heavy nosebleed and noticed a purplish-red line running up his arm.
• Er Biao searched online about the red line and nosebleed, became frightened by what he read, swallowed two anti-inflammatory pills, and fell asleep.

Fu Xinyu visited the ailing Er Biao and suspected Su Ziyang’s acupuncture had caused his strange symptoms. After questioning Old Daoist Master Xiao about Su Ziyang’s martial arts, Fu Xinyu aroused suspicion, and Old Daoist Master Xiao told Daoist Master Xiao Yang to watch him closely.

• Fu Xinyu called Er Biao, who said he had been bleeding from the nose and felt so weak that he thought he had gotten his period.
• Fu Xinyu visited Er Biao and brought Dong'e Ejiao, but Er Biao broke a front tooth by biting a piece before Fu Xinyu steamed it for him.
• Fu Xinyu examined Er Biao’s tongue and purple, swollen arm, and Er Biao suspected Su Ziyang had injured or poisoned him.
• Fu Xinyu returned to the Daoist temple and asked Old Daoist Master Xiao whether Su Ziyang knew kung fu that could make someone swell with a touch.
• Old Daoist Master Xiao questioned Fu Xinyu’s reason for asking, then told Daoist Master Xiao Yang to keep an eye on Fu Xinyu and Su Ziyang.

Su Ziyang used a needling technique Yang Tianzheng taught him to relieve Ma Wansen’s acute back sprain, earning praise and a commendation banner. After Yang Tianzheng teased him about his success, he confronted Su Ziyang about whether he had dealt with the two people who caused trouble at the clinic.

• Su Ziyang struggled to treat Ma Wansen’s acute lumbar sprain, so he asked Yang Tianzheng for a technique and learned Five Tigers Capture the Sheep.
• Su Ziyang needled Ma Wansen and had him cough, which quickly eased most of his pain and let him walk around.
• Yu Xiushui recorded Ma Wansen’s recovery, praised Su Ziyang online, and discussed finding him a partner; Ma Wansen later returned with a commendation banner.
• Yang Tianzheng returned and teased Su Ziyang, who asked him to write down everything he knew; Yang Tianzheng pinned him down and flicked his forehead.
• Yang Tianzheng asked whether Su Ziyang had done something to the two troublemakers, then told him to meet at the square after work and remember their earlier agreement.