Li Kangsheng helped Zhang Zhengyang into his clothes and, after taking his pulse, his face relaxed from its previous tension, and he let out a sigh of relief as he smiled and said:
"Commander Zhang's internal injury has already dissipated, and he will be fully recovered after a few more acupuncture treatments. I will prescribe some Qi Nurturing and blood-enriching medicine, which you can go and get later."
Zhang Zhengyang wanted to say something, but his body slumped and he collapsed onto the bed. Zhao Daniu and the others at his side, however, had lost their worry and simply burst into loud laughter.
Wang Anfeng swayed slightly and stumbled backward, about to fall to the ground, but was steadied by Feng Lan who had emerged from behind the curtain. She wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said with a smile:
"Congratulations, Anfeng, you have finally overcome the great challenge of a healer."
Wang Anfeng took a deep breath and asked:
"Commander Zhang, he seems to be out of danger, right?!"
Feng Lan chuckled softly and said, "Even if you had inserted the needles incorrectly, there wouldn't have been a problem. Now, of course, it's even better."
The youth froze for a moment and murmured, "But if I had failed in my needling and the commander had died suddenly..."
The woman raised her hand and tapped his forehead, laughing as she said:
"That's just to scare you."
"Dissipating congested clots of blood, as long as the needle is inserted correctly, will only lead to improvement. How could he suddenly die? But we used him to provoke you, to force you to act decisively at this 'Life and Death Pass.' Many doctors can only treat minor, common illnesses and are useless when faced with serious issues. Only by overcoming this psychological barrier can they become great doctors. Otherwise, they will remain mediocre for life, unsuitable for important tasks."
While saying this, she also added resentfully, "Moreover, his subordinates were lax and spouting nonsense about banishment from County City and threats of execution. Although a healer should have a benevolent heart, we who study medicine are not without temper. Auntie here had to give them a scare!"
Wang Anfeng was rendered speechless by her words and felt it was somewhat inappropriate, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong. The weird feeling vanished as quickly as it came, overwhelmed by the warm affection he felt in his heart for his aunt, and he obediently nodded in agreement. He glanced sidelong at the refined Li Kangsheng and inappropriately mused:
"Auntie is usually so virtuous and quiet, yet seeing her temperament, Uncle Li must have endured a lot in the past..."
His eyes then fell on the nearly tearful Zhao Daniu and the slightly unsteady Zhang Zhengyang, and he couldn't help but smile wryly. At the same time, he inexplicably recalled a jest from his Master and subtly nodded, gaining a bit of insight.
Women at the foot of the mountain are tigers.
Indeed, Master, you did not deceive me!
Zhang Zhengyang rested for a moment, then quickly left after getting his medicine. Before Zhao Daniu departed, he winked and said, "It seems this young Divine Doctor is far more skilled than that charlatan seeking fame." The straightforward Li Kangsheng turned blue with anger and coldly retorted:
"A young man who fights with an old man understands medicine?!"
Zhao Daniu snorted and said:
"For what he did, it would have been an offense to the heavens if we hadn't finished him off on the spot!"
Wang Anfeng, hearing that the two seemed to be on the verge of another argument, had to interject, "Zhao Big Brother, there must be some difficulties you cannot openly speak of; however, we should still be mindful of our conduct..."
Zhao Daniu replied, "Thanks for speaking up for me, young Divine Doctor, but mouths are on other people's faces, let them say what they will. Can a couple of words turn right into wrong? Right is right, wrong is wrong; it doesn't affect eating meat or going to the toilet, what's there to fear!"
Although the remark was crudely put, it had a boldness to it. Wang Anfeng was taken aback for a moment as if struck by realization, while Zhang Zhengyang called out loudly from a distance. Zhao Daniu made a careless gesture with his hands towards that direction and loudly exclaimed:
"Young Divine Doctor, we shall part here for now. One day, I'll make a big mahogany sign with gold lettering and bring it to you with drums and gongs. I'm off!"
After finishing his speech, he spread his arms for a bear hug with Wang Anfeng who, taken aback, considered it the man's carefree nature and reciprocated the hug. But then he heard Zhao Daniu's faint whisper in his ear:
"Young Divine Doctor, remember not to leave the city during this time; stay within its limits, or you may risk your life. Keep this information to yourself, do not speak of it, remember this well!"
Wang Anfeng was momentarily stunned, but by then Zhao Daniu had already released the embrace, waved his hand with a smile, and turned to leave. From afar came the sounds of Zhang Zhengyang's scolding laughter and Zhao Daniu's hearty pleas. Watching their retreating figures, Wang Anfeng's mind became crystal clear, and he thought:
"So that's how it is... Although Commander Zhang is robust and strong, without knowledge of Inner Strength, a real fight would surely be severe. Since he has sustained such heavy injuries, there must be dangerous people lurking nearby. Such news, vital for public confidence, must be kept under wraps, but he didn't hesitate to inform me directly. He is loyal to Commander Zhang, yet he has done such a thing... I truly don't know how to judge this."
Yet as he pondered, he was startled.
Did Commander Zhang really not know Zhao Daniu's nature? After seven years, how could he not know? And if he knew, why did he let Zhao Daniu say goodbye to him alone? Was it to convey the message through Zhao Daniu to him?
Almost instantly, Wang Anfeng saw through Zhang Zhengyang's painstaking efforts, grateful for his intentions, but his eyes suddenly darkened, and his lips pursed—
Then...
Should he pass on this message?
If the information could be shared with others, it would undoubtedly benefit their safety, but it could also alert the perpetrator and allow them to escape, causing greater calamity. Furthermore, Zhao Daniu risked severe punishment to tell him, so how could he put Zhao Daniu in danger by revealing it?
If I don't speak out, others will unknowingly die; it's like facing a cliff and staying silent, allowing others to fall to their deaths. How can my heart endure that?
After pondering for a moment, Wang Anfeng felt his thoughts grow increasingly chaotic. At one moment, he believed that a person's worth is nothing without trust, and at another moment, he felt that human life was of the utmost importance and that it was good to reduce harm whenever possible. Seeing the unrest in his mind, Li Kangsheng spoke up:
"Anfeng, what's wrong? You look so pale."
Wang Anfeng's body trembled slightly as he pulled himself out of what seemed like a whirlpool of struggle. Cold sweat had formed on his forehead unnoticed, and looking at the deeply concerned Li Kangsheng couple, he didn't speak the truth. Instead, he instinctively smiled and said:
"Perhaps… maybe I exerted too much strength just now and feel a bit tired."
A look of realization spread across Li Kangsheng's face as he nodded and said:
"Administering acupuncture indeed takes a lot of effort, and since it involves significant tasks, the day is still young. If you feel very tired, you should go back and rest…"
Wang Anfeng exchanged a few words and then walked towards his room with somewhat unsteady steps. Just as he was about to enter his courtyard, he abruptly stopped and turned back, forcing a smile:
"Uncle Li, are you planning to leave the city in the next couple of days?"
Li Kangsheng was slightly taken aback and said:
"No… We have enough medicinal materials, and there's no need to leave the city. Why do you ask, Anfeng?"
"It's nothing, just that the scenery nearby is nice. I was thinking of joining you if you were heading out."
Wang Anfeng felt a slight relief in his heart upon hearing this. He made up an excuse to get past the issue and then turned to return to his room. He threw himself onto the bed, his mind a mess, and his gaze fell upon the Buddha Beads on his wrist. The matter was critical, and now he could only trust his Master and Libai without reservation. Like a drowning person clutching at a lifeline, his eyes lit up with urgency, and he blurted out:
"I must enter Shaolin… I have questions for Master Yuan Ci!"
He had not yet visited Shaolin today, so his request posed no problem. After entering Shaolin, he had no inclination to practice martial arts, but instead recounted the matter from start to finish to Yuan Ci. The Master listened in silence, then raised his hand and tapped Wang Anfeng's head several times. Facing the young man's aggrieved look, he scolded:
"Self-awareness is precious. It is good that you are concerned for the safety of the whole city, but do you have the capacity to bear the consequences if things go awry?"
Wang Anfeng was taken aback and shook his head.
Yuan Ci continued: "Do you think that all the officials in the city with their insight, wisdom, and decisiveness, are all inferior to you? Or that you understand this matter better than they do?"
Wang Anfeng was speechless and shook his head again.
Yuan Ci said: "If it were your senior uncle speaking, he would certainly tell you to have faith in this world. But if the whole world were at peace, how could there be ruthless killers? As disciples of Buddhism, we must also uphold the heart of a fierce king, eliminate injustices, and wipe out villains. Even though this resolve must not waver, we must also protect ourselves. You can only meddle in matters that match your strength."
Wang Anfeng felt defiant in his heart and said, "But the principle resides in the heart of man."
"But those villains will not reason with you."
Yuan Ci picked up a tea cup, took a gentle sip, and as the breeze rustled through the treetops, the autumn leaves remained serenely beautiful. Wang Anfeng sat there as if struck by a great blow, silent, until Yuan Ci spoke again to comfort him:
"What are you thinking about? You shouldn't feel too much pressure. Things in this world, people in this world, are mostly like this."
Wang Anfeng shook his head, as if making a decision, and countered word by word:
"I still believe that there is reason in this world."
Yuan Ci was taken aback, his anger turning into laughter. He raised his voice slightly:
"But the world does not acknowledge this reason!"
"Why?!"
"Why? Because there are great thieves! There are sects! There are noble clans! There are thieves with mystical powers! There are world-stealing bandits!! Will they recognize your so-called reason? You, a mere child with limited martial arts and mediocre knowledge, what can you do? At most, you can protect yourself! What else can you do?!"
Facing the scolding rage of his Master, Wang Anfeng had no response. However, recalling his experiences from these past couple of days—the merchant who fought over a single Silver Coin like stray dogs, the ruffian who loaned money at exorbitant rates while wielding weapons, the soldiers who fulfilled their duties, the bandits who killed and fled—he felt trapped but a fierce indignation rose unwillingly, burning so intensely he could not remain seated. It shattered his original thoughts; notions such as taking care of oneself and practicing martial arts to earn Silver Coin all turned to ash. He abruptly stood up, looked at Yuan Ci, and declared word by word:
"Master… I believe in what you say… I am not strong enough right now, I cannot take care of those matters… That's true."
"But there is reason in this world, and that is true too!"
The young man's voice soared as he looked at Yuan Ci, his light brown eyes igniting a small but undying fire in the sunlight. He did not know that this flame had also blazed in the eyes of his forebears, nor that it had burned in the eyes of those who were trapped in old age. Impassioned, he declared his own thoughts as though declaring war to the world:
"I believe in this reason! If only martial force can uphold justice, making killers pay with their lives, and ensuring evildoers cannot prevail, then I will become the strongest, the mightiest in the world!! If great thieves, sects, noble clans, mystical thieves, and world-stealing bandits run amok, then I will slay the great thieves, suppress the sects, break the noble clans, and eradicate the mystical thieves and world-stealing bandits altogether!"
"If the world does not acknowledge this reason, then I will reason with the world!!"