From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor-Chapter 409 - 383: Transforming Clouds into Rain

Zheng Peian has been practicing traditional Chinese medicine for many years, and he has quite a bit of experience. Xu Chunliang’s performance had sparked his fighting spirit. After all, he was Elder Xu from Huichun Hall’s primary disciple. He couldn’t disgrace his teacher or be mocked by his young martial nephew.

Xu Chunliang said, "Uncle Zheng, I understand now, as you mentioned, the patient’s brain isn’t getting rest and is often in a state of fatigue. Humans aren’t made of stone, and the brain is the most intricate part of the body; when it’s tired, it causes changes. Moreover, his brain already had old injuries. The intermingling and influencing of the spirit, soul, and intent, along with joy, anger, anxiety, sorrow, and fear, led to his current madness."

Zheng Peian smiled and nodded, saying, "The younger generation is indeed formidable; you grasp the point immediately." He couldn’t help but feel a bit ashamed when he said this. The insights of this kid are actually above his own, and it was he who was just assisting on the sidelines.

Zheng Peian braced himself and said, "Chunliang, let me test you. What treatment plan do you think we should use for the patient?"

Xu Chunliang said, "Please correct me if I’m wrong, Uncle Zheng. I think that using medication for this patient’s condition can only address the symptoms. As the ancient saying goes, ’A disease of the heart must be treated with heart medicine.’ To address the root cause, we must eliminate the pathological cause of the patient’s excessive emotions, otherwise the disease won’t be cured and might even relapse or worsen."

On the surface, it seemed like Xu Chunliang was seeking advice from Zheng Peian, but in reality, Zheng Peian gained a lot from it. How could this kid have such a thorough understanding of diseases? A genius! This is the difference between a genius and an ordinary person.

Zheng Peian, having practiced medicine for decades, considered himself to have developed a comprehensive treatment system in traditional Chinese medicine. Since apprenticing under Xu Changshan, he had received considerable guidance from the elder, making significant progress recently.

Even so, he couldn’t see as comprehensively as Xu Chunliang. When treating Su Tianyu, Zheng Peian noticed Xu Chunliang’s unique approach, clearly different from Elder Xu’s methods. He was almost certain now that Xu Chunliang’s medical skills did not come from Elder Xu.

Mo Han saw things even more clearly than Zheng Peian. He knew from the time Xu Chunliang rescued Luan Yuchuan that his medical skills were anything but ordinary, otherwise he wouldn’t have invited him here.

Seeing the question and answer exchange between Zheng Peian and Xu Chunliang, Mo Han felt a bit amused. Their act was indeed well-played. There was no need to worry about anyone checking occupational qualifications when coming here for treatment. Xu Chunliang was very cautious, acting his part thoroughly. It all boiled down to a lack of trust in herself regarding what she might say about it.

Mo Han said, "You two take your time discussing; I won’t interfere." She signaled to the mute monk with her eyes, and the two left the meditation room.

After they left, Zheng Peian sighed deeply and said, "Had I known, I wouldn’t have come."

Xu Chunliang said, "If you hadn’t come, I’d be practicing medicine without a license, wouldn’t I?"

Zheng Peian said, "In this desolate wilderness, who’s going to care about you? It’s truly unnecessary, superfluous!"

Xu Chunliang smiled and said, "Better to be safe than sorry. Without you covering for me, it wouldn’t work."

"Who else could you call on? Why pull me all the way from Dongzhou?" Zheng Peian, possessing his own pride, felt quite useless. He resolved that he would no longer serve as just a tool in the future and would focus on studying medicine earnestly.

Xu Chunliang said, "You’re my future uncle-in-law; I can’t trust anyone else."

"That’s true indeed!" This sentence immediately made Zheng Peian feel he had an unshirkable responsibility.

Both turned their gaze toward Monk Tonghui, finding him staring wide-eyed at them.

Zheng Peian said, "What did you do to him?"

Xu Chunliang said, "Nothing, he’s in a daze on his own." He tapped Tonghui’s Yintang acupoint with a certain amount of pressure, causing a temporary blank in his awareness. Right now, Monk Tonghui was like a student daydreaming in class, essentially in a distracted state.

Xu Chunliang didn’t bother to explain; even if he did, Zheng Peian wouldn’t understand. After all, he was the one treating the patient, but all the credit would go to Old Zheng, who would even receive a generous consultation fee. Such a lucrative role others couldn’t even dream of.

Xu Chunliang took out pen and paper, wrote the prescription, and handed it to Zheng Peian, who would transcribe it later.

Then he took out a needle box, drew out a fine needle, and prepared to administer acupuncture. Zheng Peian, knowing he was about to use the needles, watched Xu Chunliang’s every move intently. It wasn’t because he feared Xu Chunliang might harm Monk Tonghui, but because he knew it was a rare learning opportunity. The intricacies of Xu Chunliang’s needlework were possibly even superior to Master Xu Changshan’s. He adjusted his mindset, resolving not to view himself as a tool but as a learner.

The treatment of insanity in traditional Chinese medicine primarily focuses on regulating qi and resolving phlegm, calming the heart and mind, opening the orifices to stabilize the mind, and clearing heart fire.

Xu Chunliang first selects the Taichong acupoint, located at the depression anterior to the junction of the first and second metatarsal bones on the dorsum of the foot, one on each foot. Acupuncture at this point can pacify the liver and clear heat, promoting the lower energizer.

"Tai" means great, and "Chong" means rushing, as the moisture and wind qi of the liver meridian rush upwards at this point. A fine needle is inserted half an inch into Taichong, utilizing Inner Strength to stimulate the moisture and wind qi, merging it with the meridian qi and reversing its flow upwards through the meridians, entering the liver via the Liver Meridian of Foot Jueyin. The moisture and wind qi gather in the liver, transforming into rain and offsetting the liver fire. Needling is done to five-tenth depths, followed by five moxa applications. Post-acupuncture, moxibustion is used to continuously reverse the flow of moisture and wind qi into the liver, akin to a sweet rain falling on the liver.

Next, the Fenglong point is chosen. Fenglong, as a term, represents a rumbling sound. The materials at this point primarily consist of moisture and cloud qi delivered from the Tiaokou acupoint, Upper Great Hollow acupoint, and Lower Great Hollow acupoint. Upon reaching this point, the moisture and cloud qi transform into rain and descend in large amounts, akin to the rumbling sound of thunderstorms, giving Fenglong its name.

The Fenglong acupoint belongs to the Foot Yangming collateral point. It is located in the lower part of the stomach meridian, where the moisture and cloud qi are formed from gathered qi and blood substances under the skies. Here, the cloud transforms into rain due to low pressure, gathering muddy qi from the Stomach and Spleen Meridians in the heavenly parts. The descending rain diverges into the various parts of the Stomach and Spleen Meridians, serving to connect the qi and blood substances of each part of the two meridians.

Using a fine needle, it is inserted vertically with a rapid stabbing technique to a depth of three-tenths inch subcutaneously. When a sinking, astringent, and tight sensation is felt, it indicates qi acquisition. Once qi is acquired, a slow yet heavy-hand technique is employed to transmit the needling sensation to the second and third toe regions. The sensation strengthens continuously over time until the needle is withdrawn.

The third point chosen is the Shenmen acupoint. "Shen" represents spirit, and "Men" signifies gate or door. The qi and blood substances within the Shenmen acupoint are the external transmission of the mental state within the Heart channel, identical in nature to the qi and blood of the Heart channel, representing the human spirit qi.

This acupoint corresponds to the earth element. Needling this point can relieve the exterior and clear heat, supplementing and benefiting heart qi.

The Shenmen acupoint is located at the ulnar end of the wrist crease, at the radial depression of the ulnar flexor carpi muscle tendon.

Xu Chunliang selects the position of the flexor carpi muscle tendon, utilizing a twisting needle insertion technique, puncturing vertically. The needle tip successively penetrates the skin, ligament layers, generating the initial needling sensation. Controlled progress is crucial, with time through these layers needing to be strictly managed to approximately three minutes. Penetrating skin and ligament layers and finding the initial needling sensation is something every acupuncture doctor is capable of doing, but uniformly progressing within three minutes to continuously stimulate the initial needling sensation, allowing it to constantly transmit into the patient’s body, requires extremely precise control over force.

Zheng Peian’s expression shifts from appreciation to admiration as he recalls his initial learning experience in acupuncture, practicing with layers of rough-edged paper to master accuracy in needle insertion. The slower the needle insertion, the more skill it indicates. Xu Chunliang’s control over the fine needle can be described as free and easy.

After stimulating the patient’s initial needling sensation for three minutes, Xu Chunliang’s fine needle continues to advance deeper, piercing into the palmar division of the ulnar nerve, sending a stinging sensation into the patient’s palm, a process of slow needle insertion once again.

Zheng Peian lights a cigarette, taking a silent puff, already sensing he is about to witness a miracle.

As Xu Chunliang advances the fine needle to stimulate the patient’s third needling sensation, Inner Strength is sent through the fine needle into the patient’s body.

Taichong extinguishes liver fire, Fenglong extinguishes the fire of the stomach and spleen, Shenmen extinguishes heart fire, with the qi and blood substances within the Shenmen acupoint reversing along the meridian to transform into rain, extinguishing heart fire. Additionally, moxibustion is performed using No. 1 moxa stick with a first-degree damage roasting technique.

Finally, the Dan Zhong point is chosen for needling.

Dan Zhong, being the chief of the five viscera and six bowels, is also known as the Upper Qi Sea. It is located in the front chest, on the anterior midline, level with the fourth intercostal space. It belongs to the Ren Meridian, converging with the Spleen Meridian of the Foot Taiyin, Kidney Meridian of the Foot Shaoyin, Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, and Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian. Qi converges at Dan Zhong.

The Dan Zhong point governs qi distribution, allocating yin and yang, broadening the chest, regulating qi, and promoting blood circulation and connection.

Xu Chunliang uses a twisting needling technique to puncture the Dan Zhong point. After penetrating the fascia, the air infusion method is applied to lead external cold air into the patient’s body. The air infusion method is a complex tonification and reducing technique combining the lift-thrust method, the nine-six method, and the breathing method.

As the saying goes: "Accepting qi and infusing qi are essentially the same, with different methods to achieve similar results. One must carefully handle the qi to avoid failure; the profound mystery lies in one’s hands." The fine threads of cold air continuously seep into the Dan Zhong point through Xu Chunliang’s exquisite needling technique. The qi within the Dan Zhong point descends when encountering cold, with cloud qi transforming into rain within the point. The rain falls in Dan Zhong, merging into the five meridians, extinguishing various evil fires within Monk Tonghui’s body.

Zheng Peian can only describe Xu Chunliang’s orderly and methodical needling technique as astonishing. Although he can understand the principle behind Xu Chunliang’s needling, if he were to perform it himself, he could not guarantee the outcome. This young man is just twenty-two years old; even if he started learning medicine from birth, it would not surpass Zheng Peian’s medical experience. After witnessing his needling techniques, Zheng Peian feels he is unworthy even to serve as his assistant.

It’s not self-deprecation; this is his honest feeling. He is unsure if his master knows Xu Chunliang’s extraordinary skills. Most likely, he does not; otherwise, why would this young man call him all the way from Dongzhou just to cover for him?

Glancing at the Nourishing Yang and Calming Spirit Soup that Xu Chunliang has just prepared: Coptis 20g, Spina Gleditsiae 30g, matured Ziziphus jujube seeds 20g, Polygala root 15g, Platycladi seed 20g, Poria 15g, Rehmannia root 20g, Scrophularia root 20g, Crassostrea oyster 20g, Hematite 30g, Sichuan lotus 10g, Fossilized dragon bone 20g, Albizia flower 15g, Bupleurum 15g. Decoction to be taken once a day.

The symptoms shown by the patient are due to the extremity of the five emotions, depletion of heart yin, and exuberance of heart yang. This formula uses Coptis to clear heart fire, Rehmannia and Scrophularia to nourish yin and subdue yang, Dragon Bone and Oyster, Hematite to subdue and settle yang qi, allowing yang to enter yin. However, the patient has been ill for long, with excessive contemplating depleting heart yin, prompting the additional use of Polygala root, Platycladi seed, Sour Jujube seed, and Spina Gleditsiae to nourish the heart and calm the mind.