Meng Qi wanted to think, but still stepped aside and pointed at Duan Rui, saying, “Master Zhong, this is Duan Rui, who suffers from the soul-separation ailment.”
“Isn’t he Duan Fusheng…” Feng Yuanjing blurted out.
Meng Qi, of course, had already guessed the truth but suppressed a smile and said, “You may call him that too.”
Zhong Taiping, a half-step into the external realm, sensed someone lying on the bed with all acupoints sealed even before entering the room. Upon entering, he briefly glanced and understood the patient’s condition, realizing the previous words were merely a diversion. He then walked to the bedside, took Duan Rui’s left hand, and placed his index and middle fingers in an unusual posture on the wrist to feel the pulse, his expression focused and serious, causing Meng Qi and others to dare not speak, waiting in silence.
After a moment, Zhong Taiping withdrew his fingers and took out more than ten silver needles, inserting them into different acupoints on Duan Rui’s body. After changing them nine times, Duan Rui’s expression changed; his facial muscles twisted, his eyes became deep and dark, almost without pupils, pitch black.
“I will kill you!” he screamed in a shrill voice.
With some of his acupoints unblocked during the needling, he was now able to speak and opened his mouth as if to spit.
Zhong Taiping, being a half-step into the external realm and having the silver needles inserted into Duan Rui’s body, naturally sensed this. He shifted his qi instantly, forcing Duan Rui’s mouth shut, then withdrew the needles and observed Duan Rui’s eyes gradually returning to normal, his expression contemplative.
Witnessing this sequence, Meng Qi nodded inwardly. The “Nine Marvelous Physician” might be eccentric and arrogant, but his medical skills were indeed extraordinary, living up to his title as a “master physician.”
Before Meng Qi could speak, Feng Yuanjing couldn’t help but ask, “Uncle Zhong, is it truly soul-separation ailment?”
Her behavior drew Feng Bin’s attention, though he remained silent, his thoughts unknown.
Zhong Taiping stroked his goatee and calmly replied, “Indeed, it is soul-separation ailment. Young Master Su, please recount the details. There are many types of this ailment.”
This was the “asking” part of the traditional diagnostic method of inspection, listening, smelling, and inquiry.
Meng Qi described the events he had encountered and what he learned from Duan Rui, though he concealed the fact that Zhen Chang stole the scripture and that Duan Rui might be practicing the “Yijin Jing.”
Frankly speaking, he found it quite strange. The “Yijin Jing” was a supreme martial art that enhanced innate talent and improved the level of martial techniques, primarily serving as an auxiliary method to improve one’s existing qi. It was unthinkable that someone could cultivate qi from it, let alone the sinister and terrifying demonic qi. Could it be that Duan Rui had hidden something? Perhaps his foster father had taught him a decent demonic technique, which was then enhanced in power and level by the “Yijin Jing?”
Feng Yuanjing was hearing about Duan Rui’s background and martial arts origins for the first time. She felt sympathy and speculation, believing his mad foster father was the root cause, and that the nine postures were the source of the soul-separation ailment.
Feng Bin nodded slightly. If the ailment was caused by martial arts, as long as he stopped practicing, there would be no danger. With Duan Rui’s talent, he could progress rapidly by learning other techniques.
Zhong Taiping stroked his goatee and nodded, saying, “One major category of soul-separation ailment is ‘dual souls in one body,’ which has existed since ancient times. Some are born with it, due to the prenatal mystery, while others are caused by ‘resurrection through another’s body.’ In such cases, one must seek the help of an expert skilled in soul and spirit to stabilize the extra soul, then use talismans, herbs, and other methods to forcibly remove or eliminate it. Though curable, it is often dangerous, with the slightest carelessness potentially harming the remaining soul and leaving irreversible damage. The case I cured was of the ‘dual souls in one body’ type.”
“However, based on Young Master Su’s description and observing Duan’s pulse and symptoms, we can rule out ‘dual souls in one body.'”
Feng Yuanjing had been very tense at first, but when Zhong Taiping said this possibility could be ruled out, she let out a long sigh of relief. At the same time, she inwardly grumbled that Uncle Zhong talked too much; he could have just explained the real cause directly, causing unnecessary worry!
Meng Qi listened impassively but reflected inwardly. If his original soul—that of Su Ziyuan—had not dissipated upon his transmigration, it would have resulted in “dual souls in one body,” turning him into yet another case of split personality disorder. He pondered what kind of person Gu Xiaosang, that bewitching woman, truly was.
Zhong Wei gazed curiously at Duan Rui lying on the bed, uncertain whether it was out of envy or pity. The martial arts he practiced were so formidable that at such a young age, he could defeat opponents who had opened six or seven meridians. It was truly impressive. Yet, it had reduced him to such a pitiable state, unable to control his own body and actions.
“…Duan’s soul-separation ailment can be preliminarily diagnosed as…” Zhong Taiping, like many physicians, was quite verbose, delivering a long preamble before getting to the point. “His nature is inherently simple, honest, and kind, but the demonic martial art he practices subtly changes his disposition and behavior, or rather, enhances his biased and corrupt tendencies, which conflict with his original nature. Over time, without him realizing, this conflict and subconscious self-protection grew stronger, leading him to perceive the biased, enhanced part as not himself, rejecting it. The two parts gradually split, causing the soul-separation ailment.”
Duan Rui’s eyes welled up with tears, his vision blurred. So it was true! I’m not inherently evil!
This was essentially a classic case of schizophrenia… Meng Qi concluded.
There were no shortage of demonic martial arts capable of enhancing one’s biased nature and violent desires, and Feng Bin and Feng Yuanjing had no objections to this.
Qi Zhengyan listened intently, his lips slightly pursed, deep in thought.
“Master Zhong, are you certain those nine postures are demonic martial arts? Duan Rui’s foster father doesn’t seem like a good person. Even if he practiced demonic arts, he would have thrived, with little contradiction to his nature. Why did he go mad?” Meng Qi asked about his confusion.
Zhong Taiping shook his head, saying, “It’s not necessarily those nine postures. In any case, there are traces of demonic martial arts.”
“Waaah…” At this moment, Duan Rui desperately tried to speak.
Meng Qi flicked his finger, releasing Duan Rui’s sealed speech acupoint and signaling Feng Yuanjing and others to watch out for any “spittle.”
“I, no, that evil spirit said my foster father went mad because he deliberately concealed the real problems that arose during cultivation, misleading him to change the sequence of the nine postures…” Duan Rui hurriedly explained. From his previous conversation with the evil spirit, he was certain the nine postures were indeed demonic martial arts!
Meng Qi took a deep breath. Could it be not the “Yijin Jing”? Or was it like in “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,” where profound Buddhist martial arts required Buddhist teachings to balance them, otherwise problems would arise? However, he had practiced the Golden Bell Cover without any side effects…
Changing the sequence of cultivation causing problems was common knowledge, but cases like Duan Rui’s, where problems arose despite proper cultivation, were rare, mostly belonging to demonic martial arts—fast progress, great power, and easy to cause issues.
Upon hearing Duan Rui’s words, Zhong Taiping nodded slightly, saying, “Knowing the root cause makes treatment easier.”
“Master Zhong, can it really be cured?” Duan Rui was surprised, delighted, and excited, while Feng Yuanjing’s face beamed with joy.
Zhong Taiping blew his beard and glared, saying, “When I say it can be cured, it definitely can be cured!”
This kind of bad attitude only made Duan Rui believe it all the more—this was precisely how a master physician should behave!
“First, you must stop practicing those nine postures,” Zhong Taiping said directly. “Then, with the help of herbs, acupuncture, and other treatments, the split parts can be suppressed and absorbed, reintegrating into one. Of course, the premise is that you yourself must not resist, must not perceive him as an evil spirit.”
Duan Rui was stunned and said, “So, so I still have to be one with the evil spirit?”
This… what kind of cure was this…
Zhong Taiping’s face turned serious, saying, “He is you, and you are him. Unless you kill yourself, you cannot get rid of him. However, you can reunite, making him a part without his own thoughts, belonging to your own self, under your control.”
Meng Qi added, “Little Duan, everyone has their own negative side. In life, who doesn’t have some dark desires? The key is to suppress them, not be controlled by them, and rationally deal with them.”
“Haven’t you ever thought about getting rich, taking concubines, and bullying your fellow disciples you don’t get along with on a daily basis? That’s normal. Knowing they are just fantasies and forgetting them after thinking about them makes you a good person.”
“Everyone has their own ‘evil spirit,’ it’s all about how you deal with it. Forced separation is the worst choice.”
Duan Rui’s shock eased slightly, and he nodded thoughtfully, although at his age, he still only half-understood.
Meng Qi hesitated for a moment, then drew out Tianzhishang, saying, “Let me put it this way: consider yourself as ‘Yang’ and the ‘evil spirit’ as ‘Yin.’ Tell me whether my blade is Yang or Yin.”
Seeing “Crazy Blade” Su Meng about to demonstrate his sword technique, Feng Yuanjing and Zhong Wei were filled with interest and held their breath in anticipation. Feng Bin and Zhong Taiping also shifted their attention to him.
The jumping silver-white snake coiled up. Meng Qi slashed at empty space with one stroke. The wind disappeared, the momentum of the blade seemed both rigid and soft, Yin and Yang, as if constantly transforming, the Yin and Yang interdependent and indistinguishable.
Yin and Yang united in threefold harmony, what is the origin and what is the transformation?
“Huh…” Feng Bin and Zhong Taiping both recognized the subtlety of this slash, nodded slightly, and thought that if they encountered it themselves, they might have to forcefully resolve it.
The long blade descended, transforming from Yin to Yang at the last moment, softness turning into rigidity, shaking the room and causing a shower of dust from the roof.
“Yin and Yang are interdependent, always one, never completely separable. This is your relationship with the evil spirit. But as long as you can control it, control all your dark thoughts, you are yourself. Where is the evil spirit then? Do you understand now?” Meng Qi used the sword to illustrate the principle, teaching Duan Rui in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
Duan Rui finally understood, saying, “Thank you, Master Su, for your guidance.”
Zhong Wei was immersed in that slash just now, feeling its profound subtlety, almost approaching the Dao.
“He will need at least three months of herbal and acupuncture treatment. Let’s move him to my house,” Zhong Taiping said, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the ceiling.
Meng Qi immediately agreed, “Fine.”
Then, he asked another question, “Master Zhong, is there a simpler alternative method for the acupuncture technique you used earlier to awaken the evil spirit?”
“There are no shortcuts in the medical Dao!” Zhong Taiping snorted.
Although Meng Qi had memorized the nine acupoint variations and could perceive the flow of qi, he merely twitched his lips and abandoned the thought of mastering the technique. Would Gu Changge even permit him to insert so many needles into her?
Zhong Taiping left with his hands behind his back, waiting for Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan to deliver Duan Rui. Feng Yuanjing and Feng Bin went ahead to help prepare.
“Senior Brother Qi, watch the door for me. I have a question for Duan Rui,” Meng Qi said, turning to Qi Zhengyan as they departed.
“Ah…” Qi Zhengyan seemed to suddenly awaken, “Okay!”
Meng Qi walked to the bedside and looked at Duan Rui, saying, “Little Duan, there’s a question. You must answer me honestly. How did your foster father originally learn the correct sequence of the nine postures?”
“My foster father told me that when he obtained the scattered nine pages of the manual, he met an old monk who told him the correct sequence. But the ‘evil spirit’ said he didn’t believe it and made me practice first,” Duan Rui answered honestly.
An old monk… Meng Qi was startled in his heart, asking, “Did you know what the old monk looked like?”
“My foster father didn’t mention it,” Duan Rui’s eyes were sincere.
Meng Qi frowned. At that time, many elders and abbots went deep into the back mountains to search for the “Yijin Jing” and other handwritten manuals, making it difficult to determine who it was, and it might even have been someone who went secretly…
However, one thing could be confirmed: there was indeed a traitor among the Shaolin elders, behind Zhen Chang!
But why did he let Duan Rui’s foster father practice these nine pages suspected to be demonic martial arts? Was he also used as a test subject? And where did these nine pages of demonic martial arts come from? Zhen Chang’s copies were all Shaolin supreme techniques…
All the above judgments were based on Duan Rui not lying. Meng Qi decided to observe further.
After delivering Duan Rui to Zhong’s residence, Meng Qi went to the Six Gates Door, intending to inform them about Duan Rui so they could take responsibility for his future supervision. He couldn’t stay here forever.
While walking along the bustling street, Meng Qi suddenly felt a stirring in his heart, turned around, and saw a young Taoist priest dressed in ancient robes and a tall hat standing not far away. It was clearly Qing Yu, the “Five Emperors’ Blade.”
“Master Su walks fast indeed; this poor Taoist had a hard time chasing,” Qing Yu smiled and bowed.
Meng Qi was surprised, asking, “Brother Taoist, what can I do for you?”
“Mainly out of eagerness, this Taoist went to Maoling to spar and exchange techniques, but got involved in a conflict and had to return to the monastery first. After going out again, the one I most wanted to test myself against was Master Su, after all, our previous appointment has yet to be fulfilled,” Qing Yu replied smoothly, his aura majestic and righteous, causing the surrounding crowd to instinctively move aside.
This little Taoist might be cunning, but he was indeed a worthy opponent. Meng Qi laughed aloud, “That’s exactly what I wanted, I wouldn’t dare ask for anything else.”
As he spoke, his aura surged like a drawn blade, causing the nearby crowd to scatter.
In an instant, the street was clear, with only the two of them facing each other from a distance.
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