Chapter 9: Capability

"Who are you to dare make a scene in my Tonghe Hall! Tonghe Hall is a place for medical consultations and treatment, not a stage for your charlatan tricks!"

The words, spoken coldly, carried a note of anger. At this, everyone perked up and turned toward the source of the voice.

An elderly man in a long gown stepped out from the inner chamber of Tonghe Hall. He was lean, with white hair and beard, and appeared to be in his eighties. Yet his back was perfectly straight, showing none of the stoop common in old age. His bearing was spirited and imposing.

At the sight of this elder, the doctors of Tonghe Hall instinctively straightened their postures, a look of respect appearing on their faces. The patients who had been watching the commotion began whispering among themselves.

"Who is that old man? He looks formidable."

"Yeah, at his age, he seems even more energetic than I am. He must be a real master."

"You all really know nothing. That’s the master of Tonghe Hall, the third-generation heir to a family of renowned physicians—Elder Hu Yunshan!"

"So it’s him! I’ve heard my father speak of him. They say Elder Hu once cured a founding general of a mysterious illness, and was personally honored by the Dragon Head himself..."

As these whispers spread, everyone turned to Elder Hu with a look of deep respect. Even Liu Yu, with his thick gold chain, and his wife Guan Xiaohe, wore expressions of admiration. Earlier, they had tried to persuade Elder Hu with a generous offer to treat Liu Yu’s illness, only to be refused, as Elder Hu had long since retired and rarely saw patients.

By now, Elder Hu had approached the crowd. He fixed his displeased gaze on the young Xu Yang and spoke again, this time without the slightest politeness.

"Tonghe Hall is a place to heal and save people. I will not allow anyone to peddle deceit here! Young man, I can see you have some medical knowledge. With your skills, you could make an honest living as a doctor. Why resort to such lies as claiming you can cure someone instantly with acupuncture? Such talk is nothing but cheating the sick!"

Though Elder Hu’s eyes were somewhat clouded with age, his gaze at Xu Yang was piercingly sharp. After retiring, he seldom involved himself in the affairs of the clinic, instead spending his days in the inner chamber, recording his medical experiences. Just now, Xu Yang’s ability to identify Liu Yu’s prescription by scent had caught his attention, and he had silently admired the young man’s talent, even, for a fleeting moment, considering taking him as a disciple.

But then, Xu Yang made such an audacious claim—that he could heal Liu Yu instantly with acupuncture.

Now, Elder Hu was truly angry. For a youngster to boast so shamelessly, it was clear he lacked proper morals and integrity! Unable to restrain himself, he stepped forward and rebuked Xu Yang sharply.

Faced with Elder Hu’s forceful questioning, Xu Yang’s lips curled in a faint, playful smile.

"Just because you can’t do it, old sir, doesn’t mean I can’t. Since I’ve said I’ll cure him instantly with acupuncture, then I will do exactly that."

He met Elder Hu’s gaze without flinching, his tone calm.

The moment he spoke, Elder Hu’s face darkened. The other doctors in Tonghe Hall looked equally furious.

"You’re far too arrogant, boy! Are you saying your medical skills surpass Elder Hu’s?"

"Who do you think you are? The reincarnation of Hua Tuo?"

"Elder Hu is the leading authority in traditional medicine in Yunhai Province! Aren’t you afraid you’ll bite your tongue, saying such things?"

"Apologize to Elder Hu this instant!"

As the hall erupted in uproar, Elder Hu frowned. His stern gaze swept over the assembled doctors, and at once they fell silent, not daring another word. The hall grew quiet as a tomb.

"Youth, if you retract your boast now, I’ll let this matter go," Elder Hu said magnanimously, his eyes fixed on Xu Yang.

"I haven’t boasted, and I will not take back my words," Xu Yang replied firmly, meeting Elder Hu’s challenge head-on.

The elder’s face grew even grimmer, his brows knitted together as he gave a cold laugh.

"Very well, then. Show us your acupuncture skills. I want to see if there truly exists such a master whose mere needles can bring about instant recovery!"

His words dripped with sarcasm.

Xu Yang nodded with composure, then turned his gaze to Liu Yu.

"Mr. Liu, please sit and remove your shirt."

"O-okay," Liu Yu replied, a little uneasy. But seeing Xu Yang’s calm demeanor, he didn’t dare question him and sat back down, removing his shirt. After all, a few needles wouldn’t do any real harm, even if this young man was all talk.

Xu Yang swiftly disinfected his silver needles, silently recalling the key points of the acupuncture technique he had inherited.

With a sudden flick of the wrist—

Swish!

Three slender silver needles flashed through the air and landed, steady and precise, in Liu Yu’s body.

"My God! He’s performing flying-needle acupuncture!"

"Those long, thin needles went in perfectly with just a flick of his hand!"

"Incredible! No wonder this young man is so confident—he truly has skill!"

"His movements are so dashing, just like in martial arts novels!"

The onlookers gasped in amazement, their faces lighting up with excitement as they praised Xu Yang’s technique. Even Elder Hu, who had been frowning darkly, narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

To the untrained eye, it was just a spectacle, but to someone truly skilled, it revealed mastery. With a single glance, Elder Hu could see that Xu Yang’s acupuncture technique, though unconventional, was flawless in its execution. The three needles had entered precisely into Liu Yu’s key acupoints, without the slightest error.

"Could I have misjudged him? Does this young man truly possess such extraordinary medical skill?"

For a moment, Elder Hu’s heart was gripped with uncertainty. But soon, he collected himself. Even if Xu Yang had mastered the advanced art of flying-needle acupuncture, acupuncture was still just acupuncture. For minor ailments like headaches or colds, it might work wonders. But Liu Yu’s condition was clearly far more complex. To expect a cure with a few needles was pure fantasy.

Regaining his composure, Elder Hu addressed Xu Yang, "Your flying-needle technique is impressive, young man, and it’s clear you have a solid foundation in medicine. But to cure his illness with just these three needles—that, I’m afraid, is impossible."

"Don’t rush. I’m not finished yet," Xu Yang replied coolly, raising his right hand to manipulate the needles once again.