"Yes. I'm telling the truth. It's effective. My reflexes and Tai Chi footwork have greatly improved. Also, don't underestimate pigs. They are smarter than you think. They're tough-skinned, and can take a beating," Wang An said.
Li Xinzhu, after hearing Wang An's words, fell into deep thought. He truly had not expected that there could be such a crazy person in the world. He had actually sparred with wild boars!
"Is that method really that useful?" he asked again.
"It is! That is what I've been telling you! You can give it a try, but it's risky."
"Nonsense! Being attacked by those animals can cause severe injuries, maybe even death. Besides, where can you find wild boars in this city? The zoo?"
"Maybe you can't find wild boars in Hu An City, but there are many dogs and cats. You can spar with them to train your reflexes," Wang An said seriously.
"Why do I feel like you're trying to trick me?"
"You're overthinking. I'm speaking the truth. Besides, we're friends, why would I deceive you?"
"Don't friends usually deceive each other?"
"What?" Wang An was puzzled. "Don't be silly. Take me to that Chinese medicine doctor you mentioned."
"Alright. When are you treating me to the king crab?"
"Let's deal with the important matters first. Hurry up!"
'Why was this guy so fixated on a king crab?' Wang An thought.
"You're asking for a favor with this kind of attitude? Give me a moment."
Li Xinzhu changed into a different set of clothes in the dressing room and then drove Wang An to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic.
The storefront had two floors, and they were pretty well decorated. There was a signboard next to it that read: "Zhao's Chinese Medical Center."
Li Xinzhu led Wang An into the clinic. Surprisingly, there were quite a few people inside. There were nearly twenty people in the queue.
The walls were covered with banners praising the clinic's skills. He saw phrases like:
"Saving lives."
"Healing the injured."
"Miraculous healing!"
A middle-aged man in his forties sat on the other side of the counter. He had a round face, was slightly overweight, and looked friendly. He was currently taking the pulse of an elderly patient.
Li Xinzhu waited quietly with Wang An at one side.
When the doctor finished examining the patient and prescribed some medicines, Li Xinzhu finally spoke.
"Uncle, this is the person I mentioned to you before. The one who wants to learn about massages," Li Xinzhu said as he approached the middle-aged man.
The traditional Chinese doctor glanced at Wang An and smiled. "Look for Zhiyuan. I've told him about it."
"Alright. Thank you."
Li Xinzhu then led Wang An through the lobby into a room at the side.
The room was a bit small, with two bookshelves filled with books related to medicine.
There were also two anatomical models labeled with the body's meridians and acupoints. In the corner, a young man was reading a book. He appeared to be about the same age as Wang An.
"Zhiyuan. Are you reading again?" Li Xinzhu said loudly and startled the young man. He trembled and his face twitched.
"Why are you here instead of training at your dojo?" He looked up at Li Xinzhu and glanced at Wang An.
"I missed you, so I came for a visit. There's a saying that goes, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder.'"
"Don't disgust me. Is this the friend you mentioned who wants to learn massage techniques?" Zhao Zhiyuan looked at Wang An.
"Yes, let me introduce you. Zhao Zhiyuan specializes in both Western and Chinese medicine. He had a medical doctorate. Wang An here is a Tai Chi expert."
"Hello, pleased to meet you."
"Hello, don't listen to his nonsense. I know a bit about Tai Chi, but I'm far from being an expert."
After the introductions, the two of them were acquainted.
"I want to ask you this: why do you want to learn massage techniques?" Zhao Zhiyuan asked. He found it somewhat puzzling for someone learning Tai Chi to also learn about massage techniques.
"My grandfather has lumbar spine issues, so I want to learn some massage techniques to relieve his pain when I have time."
The three of them talked for a while, and Zhao Zhiyuan prepared to start teaching him.
"You can leave," he said to Li Xinzhu beside him.
"I want to listen and learn too," Li Xinzhu insisted.
"With your intelligence, even if I were to teach you, you might not necessarily learn anything. You're simply wasting time here. You should be at the dojo hitting the sandbag instead."
Li Xinzhu's shoulders drooped.
"What do you mean? Come on, let me show you Cannon Fist."
After chasing Li Xinzhu away, Zhao Zhiyuan began teaching Wang An massage techniques.
"First, tell me your understanding of massage techniques."
"By using techniques like pushing, grasping, lifting, pinching, and kneading, you stimulate the body's acupoints and meridians in order to achieve effects like unblocking meridians and promoting circulation of energy and blood."
"That's a simple understanding. To learn massage techniques, you must have a detailed understanding of the human body's structure, acupoints, and meridians. That is the simple foundation. Only by understanding the functions of different meridians and acupoints can you perform targeted massages. Additionally, you need to learn the most basic medical principles and the causes and symptoms of certain illnesses. Remember, massage and acupressure are not a cure-all. Some ailments can be treated with massage and acupressure, while others cannot. Some people should strictly avoid massages and acupressure. If you misjudge it, instead of alleviating symptoms, it might worsen them. It might even endanger the patient's life."
At the beginning, Zhao Zhiyuan explained some principles and key points of massage techniques to Wang An. He then briefed him on what he intended to teach.
"Dr. Zhao, I'd like to read some books related to acupoints, meridians, and medical theory. Could you please recommend a few for me?"
"Sure." Zhao Zhiyuan wrote a list and handed it to Wang An.
"These books are for building the basics. Read them regularly. It will help with learning massage techniques. I have two of them here. You can have them for now."
After that, he took two books from the bookshelf and handed them to Wang An.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. I rarely hear Li Xinzhu praise others, but he couldn't stop praising you."
"Oh? What did he say about me?" Wang An was curious.
"He said you're the most talented and innovative person he's seen in martial arts."
"He's exaggerating." Wang An laughed. He had not expected such high praise from Li Xinzhu.
"Although he appears laid-back and carefree, he has a good sense of judgment when it comes to people. His assessment of you is very accurate. He mentioned that you've already developed the Tai Chi Force. Could you show it to me?"
"Show you? How do I do that? Should I perform a set of Tai Chi techniques for you to see?" Wang An was slightly surprised at the request.
"Not that kind of demonstration. You hit me and let me feel the Tai Chi Force," Zhao Zhiyuan said as he turned to take out a pad from a nearby cabinet and wore it on his arm.
"Come on." Zhao Zhiyuan stepped forward and patted the pad.
'This request is so strange. Why does a medical doctor like Dr. Zhao have pads used for practicing martial arts and combat in his cabinet? Could it be that he is also a martial arts enthusiast?'