Li Xu's hands flew, inserting each needle with unerring precision into the most critical acupoints for reviving the patient.

At the side, Director Qian grew more and more astonished as he watched.

He realized that Li Xu wasn't just inserting the needles; each one was accompanied by an exceptionally unique twirling and vibrating technique.

Li Xu's right hand moved with the grace of a soaring dragon. As he inserted a needle into the Baihui Acupoint, his wrist swayed with a peculiar rhythm. This motion caused the end of the needle to move like a Cyan Dragon Tail Swing, leaving a trail of afterimages above the patient's head.

And when he needled the Laogong Acupoint,

Li Xu's fingers vibrated at an incredible frequency, executing short, forceful tremors. The body of the needle began to hum, emitting a soft BUZZZ, reminiscent of a fierce tiger descending a mountain, shaking its head in a roar.

Cyan Dragon Tail Swing!

White Tiger Shaking Head!

'These are truly master techniques.'

Director Qian was utterly captivated, afraid he might miss a single detail.

By the time the final needle was in place, a fine sheen of sweat had already beaded on Li Xu's forehead.

He had only ever practiced these two techniques on dummies.

This was his first time applying them in a real-world scenario.

There was absolutely no room for error.

Combined with the patient's critical condition,

the psychological pressure on him was immense.

Li Xu took a deep breath. His hands shot out, moving at a dazzling speed to rhythmically pluck and twirl the nine steel needles embedded across the patient's body.

One of the most remarkable features of acupuncture is how quickly it takes effect.

In no time,

a miraculous scene unfolded.

The patient, who had been in a deep coma, began to tremble faintly.

Then, fine beads of sweat, carrying a faint, foul odor, began to seep from the skin of her forehead, chest, and limbs.

The sweating intensified.

Soon, her entire body was drenched.

"She's sweating!"

a nearby nurse exclaimed in shock.

On the heart monitor,

the heart rate, which had been so faint it was nearly a flat line, began to pulse with renewed strength.

Her blood pressure and oxygen saturation also began to climb back into a safe range at a visible rate.

Even more incredibly,

as this "toxic sweat" was expelled, the patient's face, flushed bright red from the high fever, gradually returned to its normal color.

The acupuncture had worked.

And the effects were immediate.

Impossibly fast!

"My god..."

"This... this is a miracle!"

All the experts present were completely stunned by the scene unfolding before them, a sight that shattered their understanding of what was possible.

The head of the emergency department first checked the patient's condition.

After confirming she was out of danger,

he gave Li Xu a thumbs-up.

"Doctor Li, that was amazing!"

Li Xu wiped away his sweat and breathed a sigh of relief.

Professor Gao watched him, a gratified and proud smile on his face.

Zhou Junwei, on the other hand, was completely stunned.

He stared blankly from Li Xu, who was now the center of attention, back to himself.

'The academic credentials I took so much pride in, my confidence as one of the elite... all of it feels like it's been shattered to pieces in this one moment.'

...

Half an hour later, Li Xu removed the needles.

He Li's vital signs had completely stabilized.

Although she hadn't woken up yet, she was completely out of danger.

He had single-handedly reversed a situation that had meant certain death.

The recent needling session had been as taxing as hard manual labor.

Li Xu felt a wave of fatigue.

He was about to take his leave when Director Qian grabbed him, refusing to let him go.

"Doctor Li, please don't go yet."

Director Qian beamed, tugging on Li Xu's sleeve. "That 'Cyan Dragon Tail Swing' and 'White Tiger Shaking Head' you just performed... there were several details I couldn't quite grasp. You absolutely must explain them to me."

Just then, Li Xu's phone suddenly started ringing.

He took it out and saw it was an unfamiliar number.

He answered the phone.

"Hello, am I speaking with Doctor Li Xu?"

A man's voice with a southern accent came from the other end of the line.

"Speaking. And you are?"

"Ah, Doctor Li, hello! My name is Zhang Yanquan."

The man introduced himself. "I'm the vice dean of the Southern University of Chinese Medicine and a successor of the Chengjiang Acupuncture School. I'm also currently the secretary-general of the National Acupuncture Society."

Zhang Yanquan!

Director Qian, standing nearby, looked astonished when he heard the name.

'This man is a titan in the world of acupuncture in Dragon Country, one of the absolute top authorities.'

"Here's the thing, Doctor Li."

Zhang Yanquan's tone was extremely polite. "I heard from Zhu Quanxin at the Feng City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine that you are in possession of the acupuncture notes handwritten by my grandmaster, Mr. Cheng. I happen to be on a business trip in Jiang Province, and I was wondering if it might be convenient for me to pay a visit and see the master's original work?"

"You're in Jiang Province?" Li Xu replied. "What a coincidence. I'm at the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine right now."

"Are you really? I'm in the provincial capital right now," Zhang Yanquan said, overjoyed. "Just wait a bit, I'll head over immediately."

After Li Xu hung up, Director Qian was so excited he could barely speak.

Zhang Yanquan was coming.

He was a true direct-lineage successor of the Chengjiang School, a full generation senior to him.

He immediately turned to Professor Gao. "Professor Gao, Dean Zhang is coming! This is a huge event for our Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I'll go arrange for a reception room right away and inform our dean."

Professor Gao smiled and nodded, deciding to stay and meet the renowned acupuncture master himself.

Zhou Junwei watched the senior figures chatting amiably and knew his status was too low for him to remain.

Professor Gao also gestured for him to leave.

He had no choice but to depart, though he was reluctant to go.

...

「Half an hour later, in the VIP reception room of the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.」

Zhang Yanquan arrived.

However, the dean of the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was busy and couldn't make it, so he asked the others to host in his place.

Although Zhang Yanquan was one of the country's top experts, he was exceptionally humble and put on no airs whatsoever.

After exchanging some pleasantries,

Zhang Yanquan eagerly asked Li Xu about Elder Cheng's notebook.

"Fellow Friend Li, I wonder if I might have the honor of reading my grandmaster's notebook?"

Director Qian had already inquired about it. The reason Li Xu's acupuncture was so incredible, even capable of expelling snake venom, was that he possessed the "Martial Arts Manual" handwritten by Elder Cheng.

Li Xu wasn't the least bit possessive.

He took out his phone and pulled up the high-definition digital copy of the notebook he had scanned previously.

At the same time, Li Xu asked curiously, "Dean Zhang, since you knew Director Zhu had a copy, why didn't you just ask him for it?"

Zhang Yanquan smiled and shook his head. "Director Zhu said you are the owner of the notebook. He's merely a 'borrower,' so he couldn't make that decision. He said he needed your permission first."

Hearing this, Li Xu shook his head. "Dean Zhang, you're being too serious. Mr. Cheng's life's work is a precious treasure that belongs to the entire field of traditional Chinese medicine. It ought to be made public, passed down, and carried forward. Hoarding it for myself would not be the right choice."