Tu Rong quickly prepared two small plates from the fried rice still in the wok. Tu Peng did the same with his soup and both sat down along with Lu Sheng.
"Relax, I am a Senior Brother of you in front of others but when we are alone, treat me like a friend. There is no need for formality among us." Lu Sheng smiled warmly, trying to ease the tension.
Tu Rong and Tu Peng exchanged glances and then nodded.
As they started eating, Lu Sheng studied them curiously. "So tell me, what are your specialties in the healing arts so far?"
Tu Peng perked up. "I am studying acupuncture therapy. I focus more on pressure points. I've been practicing Master Hong's books as guidance, learning the art of precise needling for therapeutic purposes, pain relief, restoring energy flow, treating different conditions..."
His enthusiasm warmed Lu Sheng's heart as he chuckled. "Impressive knowledge already. And you, Tu Rong?"
Tu Rong, with a mouthful of fried rice, swallowed but struggled to say out.
"My little sister is a beginner and she is studying herbs and I share my acupuncture studies with her too." Tu Peng answered on behalf of Tu Rong.
Lu Sheng took a mouthful of fried rice, savoring it with the delight of a messy child. Tu Peng wasn't certain whether he should be hopeful or confident in this Senior Brother regarding his studies and future.
Upon seeing his sister Tu Rong's beaming face, he found himself unable to ask any further and simply accepted it for her happiness.
"What about First-Aid?" He asked while crunching on a slice of bacon.
"We can do the Essentials but not as good as the Senior Brother." Tu Peng answered but added a little praise to coax Lu Sheng into teaching them the bandaging technique he showcased earlier.
"Let me tell you the truth, I know as much as you do, or maybe even less." His words drained the color from Tu Peng's face, but Tu Rong giggled in response. He glanced at his sister, his tear-dripping face silently questioning, 'You think this is funny?'
"But, worry not, I am a quick learner and the best part is we all three can learn at the same time." He smiled to which Tu Rong nodded enthusiastically. But, Tu Peng's face was like, 'If I wanted to study together then why would I study with a newcomer like you?'
"Now, let's enjoy our snack, and then let's gather all the books we need to study for the next year." Lu Sheng didn't say anything and ate heartily, while Tu Rong also joined the flow.
However, Tu Peng wanted to smack his own face, smack his fate lines on his forehead for delivering this bad luck. To be stuck with a person who calls a full meal a snack. He was sure that if this person didn't achieve a breakthrough in cultivation, he would die early because of heart disease.
However, he can't complain, no other senior disciples talk to them this gently let alone helping them. At least this Senior Brother is not full of arrogance and treats him and his little sister with care.
After a loud burp, Lu Sheng was satisfied, and Tu Rong also imitated him. Tu Peng had no reaction, feeling powerless in the current situation.
"Let's go to the library." His words brought a glimmer of hope to Tu Peng, who then showed the way to the library. As they crossed the central courtyard, Tu Peng abruptly paused halfway along the connecting path toward the main entrance of the Library.
"Something wrong?" Lu Sheng asked curiously.
Tu Peng gestured in apology. "Going through the main entrance would not be ideal this late. But..." He tilted his head meaningfully towards a small side path. He didn't say anything else and chose the side path, Tu Rong nodded as she followed her brother.
Intrigued, Lu Sheng followed as both siblings led them on the narrow track that curved behind the buildings. Soon, they arrived at an old small wooden storeroom attached to the library exterior. Tu Peng opened the lockless creaking door which led to an underground staircase.
Stepping inside, Lu Sheng coughed in the musty air, now heavy with the smell of moldering paper and rot. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he gaped at the sight before him. The spacious underground chamber was filled with row upon row of open shelves, stacked high with myriad texts, unbounded scrolls, and bound volumes whose pages had long since yellowed and become brittle with age.
Many tomes here were clearly antique, covers loose or missing, edges nibbled by bugs or rats. Lu Sheng stroked a few delicate pages still strong enough to lift, marveling at the faded calligraphy still visible beneath dirt and smeared ink stains.
"This is the discard storeroom, for damaged books and records to be repaired or rewritten before the contents are lost entirely," Tu Peng explained in hushed tones out of respect.
Tu Peng traced his fingers gently over a few books, as if comforting old friends. "We often work here, salvaging what we can. Copiers have rescued many works over the years that would have vanished otherwise."
Lu Sheng gazed around the vast literary graveyard.
"Where to start?" Tu Peng asked.
"Basics?" Lu Sheng suggested.
"This way…" He guided them through narrow, damp corridors of shelves until they all reached a clean area, no longer filled with the earlier damp smell but the refreshing scent of fresh paper.
"Here, this row of shelves are all basics, half of them are authored by Master Hong but no longer in use but many come to revise themselves sometimes in old methods."
"No longer in use?" He curiously asked.
"Master Hong revises his own books so there are now newer versions, new editions. He also revises the other books too, but some do not get a chance at all." He paused as if feeling sad about these discarded books. "Let me get the books we need, I will copy them for our use later."
Tu Peng and Tu Rong quickly got to work gathering various texts from the shelves. Tu Peng carefully pulled out several manuals on acupuncture techniques, selecting a variety of introductory and intermediatory volumes.
Meanwhile, Tu Rong browsed the section on first aid, her arms soon stacked with thick unbounded yellowed old pages of guides covering emergency response, wound dressing, setting bones, and other critical care skills. She also claimed a sizable illustrated encyclopedia detailing hundreds of medicinal plants and herbs.
"This should cover the basics we need," Tu Peng declared, staggering under his pile of books.
"Excellent choices," Lu Sheng remarked as he checked, noting several texts authored by Master Hong himself.
"I will copy them shortly so we all can study," Tu Peng added eagerly.
Lu Sheng nodded, but he quickly started flipping through the pages of the books both of them brought to copy. Before Tu Peng could set up his station of copying with ink and fresh paper, Lu Sheng was already done with half of his books.
Tu Rong curiously observed Lu Sheng's rapid reading behavior when Tu Peng called out to her. "Don't you want to copy?" She ignored her brother's call, to which Tu Peng just shook his head in mild disappointment.
As he was ready to start copying, Lu Sheng stopped him. "No need to copy these; I have memorized all of them. Just ask me whenever you need to know anything."
"Memorized all of them?" Tu Peng looked at the stack of books he had collected for his year-long studies and wondered if this Senior Brother was making a grand boast.
Tu Peng stared uncertainly at the large stack of books, skeptical that Lu Sheng could have actually memorized all that detailed medical content so quickly.
"You're saying you memorized everything in these texts already, Senior Brother?" he asked hesitantly.
Lu Sheng nodded. "I have an excellent memory. Go on, quiz me on any section," he encouraged.
Still doubtful, Tu Peng opened one of the acupuncture manuals and flipped to a random page depicting intricate diagrams of pressure points over different body parts. He scanned the densely packed information and then glanced up.
"Alright, can you describe the medicinal effects stimulated when needling Shenshu points in the lower back?"
Without hesitation, Lu Sheng recited the precise details of the Shenshu vital point—the exact position along the meridian corresponding to the kidneys, the recommended depth and angle for needle insertion, which organs and meridians it could harmonize, and specialized uses like relieving pain in the lower spine, nourishing kidney essence, and smoothing the flow of spiritual energy and regulating urination.
Tu Peng's eyes widened in shock. Leafing ahead several more pages, he fired more questions about other pressure points which Lu Sheng answered just as rapidly, recalling medical specifics down to the measured angles of insertion.
Finally Tu Peng slammed the book shut, gaping at Lu Sheng. "That's...astonishing, Senior Brother! You really did memorize it perfectly!"
Next to him, Tu Rong broke into delighted laughter and clapped excitedly at the feat, warmly impressed by their talented new Senior Brother.