Chapter 101: The Soul-Reviving Needle of Heaven and Earth
“Very well. If you truly can use the Heaven and Earth Soul-Returning Needle, then this old man will do anything you ask.”
Xu Wenming did not believe that Lin Feng could wield such a technique of the highest difficulty. The method had been created long ago, yet even its creator had never mastered it; only an empty theory of needles remained.
And by chance, that very technique had once been learned by Lin Feng’s ancestors, and now it had been passed down in full to Lin Feng himself.
With a flash, Lin Feng took up the silver needles and stepped before Fang Jianxiong. Suddenly, he guided them with his inner force; a faint trace of true energy rose from his palm, and the needles in the pouch flew out on their own.
Qin Sumei and Fang Huihui stared in utter stupefaction.
Was there truly such an exquisitely marvelous needle technique in the world? Without even touching the needles, one could make them move by themselves?
The silver needles drew a streak of gleaming light through the air, like a phoenix dancing across the nine heavens. The tips turned into a phoenix beak, and with a flash they plunged into Fang Jianxiong’s body.
The instant that needle landed, all the charred traces of fire around them vanished without a trace.
Xu Wenming was astonished. He recognized this precisely as the Soul-Seizing strike within the Heaven and Earth Soul-Returning Needle!
This technique had an old saying attached to it: when the King of Hell comes for your life, the needle destroys a hundred ghosts.
If the King of Hell tells you to die at the third watch, this needle keeps you alive until the fifth!
“The second needle: Yin and Yang Soul Lock.”
After placing the first needle, Lin Feng swept his hand, and the second needle shot up at once.
This one was shrouded in a surging black aura. Wherever its sharp edge passed, it seemed as though dark clouds had gathered overhead. It was the needle art of the Earth within Heaven and Earth!
With a flash, the needle tip lingered in midair for a moment, then suddenly transformed into a black pillar and instantly rushed to the position of the first needle in Fang Jianxiong’s head.
With a muffled burst, Fang Jianxiong suddenly opened his mouth and喷吐 a mouthful of black blood!
Qin Sumei came back to her senses from shock and hurried forward. “Mr. Lin, what is happening?”
“Madam, please step back quickly.”
Lin Feng did not answer. Instead, he continued with the third needle.
The moment the momentum of the third needle rose, Xu Wenming immediately stepped forward and pulled Qin Sumei back.
The instant she was dragged away, a silver-white pillar of light shot past where her arm had been.
That needle carried within it the force of the limitless interplay of Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang. It was also known as the Ghost-Exterminating Needle of the Mortal World.
Its meaning was simple: with a single strike, it could bind the souls of lesser spirits, and the silver needle would make ghosts wail and howl.
Once this technique was unleashed, it could slay ghosts and kill gods alike, and neither gods nor spirits could withstand it.
“Give rise to one thread of fate; when destiny arrives, awakening follows, and all ghosts and gods are extinguished!”
After finishing this needle, Lin Feng adjusted his breathing slightly. Then, with both arms raised high once more, all the remaining silver needles in the pouch flew out on their own as if waves were rolling.
Around Fang Jianxiong’s body, it was as though a tornado of force had formed, and no one dared take a single step closer.
Sensing the overwhelming aura nearby, Xu Wenming quickly released his own power, forming a protective barrier before him that shielded Fang Huihui and Qin Sumei at the same time.
Sizzle!
A few seconds later, countless wisps of black energy suddenly burst out from within Fang Jianxiong’s body, attempting to flee in all directions. But the silver needles surrounding Lin Feng tracked them automatically, like coiling silver dragons, killing every ghost they encountered.
In less than a minute, all the black energy was completely cut down by the needles.
“What superb needlework! So this divine Doctor Lin truly knows the Heaven and Earth Soul-Returning Needle. This is the king of all needles, the god of medicine!”
As Xu Wenming watched Lin Feng gradually withdraw his skill, he also slowly reined in his own inner force and could not help exclaiming aloud.
Lin Feng let out a long breath. Seeing Fang Jianxiong on the bed, his complexion already restored to healthy redness, he turned back and said, “His life is no longer in danger. He should awaken shortly.”
“Master above, please accept this disciple’s bow.”
As soon as those words fell, Xu Wenming suddenly knelt before Lin Feng of his own accord and called out earnestly.
“What are you doing?” Lin Feng looked at him in bafflement, frowning in confusion.
“Divine Doctor Lin, your medical skill is the greatest I have ever seen. I am far beneath you. I hope you will take me as your disciple. From this day on, whatever Divine Doctor Lin requires, I, Xu Wenming, will certainly accomplish for you.”
Lin Feng shook his head slightly and said bluntly, “I have no interest in taking disciples. You should get up.”
“If Divine Doctor Lin will not accept me, then I shall remain kneeling forever.”
Xu Wenming continued kneeling, his resolve to become a disciple utterly unshaken.
Fang Huihui stepped forward and said candidly, “Divine Doctor Lin, this Doctor Xu is the foremost figure in the traditional medicine world of River City. If you can take him as a disciple, it will be an honor to the entire field, and Chinese medicine as a whole will be transformed.”
“Though I do not understand traditional medicine, I know this is a good thing, so I also hope you will accept him.”
“Oh? Those words actually came from your mouth?”
Lin Feng turned back and glanced at Fang Huihui, speaking with a trace of mockery.
Fang Huihui felt ashamed and continued, “Divine Doctor Lin, I was also disrespectful to you before. It was all because I was blind and failed to recognize your greatness. I hope you will forgive me.”
“Rest assured, I will never let you save my father for nothing today. From this day forward, you are my benefactor, Fang Huihui. If you need anything at all, you can come to me.”
“Anything at all?” Lin Feng subconsciously glanced at her figure and asked casually.
“Yes, yes!”
Realizing his gaze, Fang Huihui hurriedly turned her head away.
Lin Feng suddenly smiled and nodded. “Fine. Then, considering your sincerity, I will forgive you and take this old fossil in.”
“Really?” Fang Huihui asked, her eyes lighting up.
“Of course. But do not forget the condition you just promised me. If I need you, you must appear by my side at any time,” Lin Feng said.
He said this, naturally, for his own reasons.
And the reason he was willing to accept Xu Wenming was that he wished to borrow Xu Wenming’s standing to raise his own position in the medical world.
Only then could he come into contact with more powerful figures.
“Thank you, Master, for accepting me. I will certainly honor and care for you well from now on.”
Xu Wenming hurriedly began kowtowing to Lin Feng as well.
Lin Feng waved a hand and said lightly, “Get up. Go see whether the room next door contains anything tainted with baleful energy, and be careful.”
“Yes, Master.”
Xu Wenming nodded and, with the consent of Fang Huihui and Qin Sumei, went of his own accord into the neighboring room.
Yet Fang Huihui still looked puzzled and asked, “Divine Doctor Lin, what do you mean by this? Is there something wrong in our home?”
“Your father has been afflicted by an extremely unusual gu poison. Such poison can only survive by borrowing vessels tainted with baleful energy, so there must be a source of that taint somewhere in this villa.”
“And I have already determined that it is in the room next door.”
“I found it. I found it.”
Less than two minutes later, Xu Wenming rushed back in from outside in excitement and shouted toward Lin Feng.
In his hands he held an inkstone made of black-gold stone, its surface pitch black and carved with a dark, enormous dragon.