The City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture Department.

As the final Silver Needle was removed, Zhang Jianing’s once stiff and contorted face visibly relaxed, regaining its symmetry.

While he hadn’t fully recovered, he was already seventy to eighty percent better than before the treatment.

More importantly, when Li Xu once again pressed the "spider nevus" below his right ribs, Zhang Jianing was thrilled to discover that the sharp, stabbing pain was gone, leaving only a slight, dull ache.

This meant the pathogenic qi stagnating in his liver and gallbladder meridians had been dispelled by Li Xu’s miraculous technique.

The root of his illness was being eradicated!

After the patient left, only Li Xu and Zhu Quanxin remained in the examination room.

Zhu Quanxin looked at Li Xu, his eyes filled with admiration and excitement.

"Doctor Li," he said with heartfelt admiration, "you’ve truly taught me a vivid lesson today. Treating both the symptoms and the root cause, treating different diseases with the same method... You wield classical formulas and acupuncture with absolute mastery, flawlessly and with perfect harmony. This old man, I must admit I’m no match for you!"

"Director Zhu, please don’t say that," Li Xu said hurriedly. "If you hadn’t pointed out those finer details in my technique just now, it wouldn’t have gone so smoothly. I’ve also learned a great deal of valuable clinical experience from you today."

The two exchanged a smile, and any sense of a senior testing a junior had long since vanished.

In its place was a feeling of mutual admiration—a bond that was part friendship, part mentorship.

After that, the floodgates of conversation opened between them.

They discussed everything from the key points of syndrome differentiation in acupuncture to the phased treatment of facial paralysis.

They moved on from the clinical contraindications of the "Mountain-Burning Fire" and "penetratingly cool" techniques to strategies for acupoint selection in various complex and difficult cases...

Zhu Quanxin unreservedly shared the clinical wisdom he had accumulated over more than forty years.

Li Xu, in turn, discussed and corroborated some of the acupuncture theories he knew with Zhu Quanxin.

One was rich with experience, the other armed with extraordinary theories. They exchanged knowledge and inspired one another, both feeling they had benefited immensely.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

Before they knew it, it was noon.

"Come on, Doctor Li, lunch is on me today. Let’s go to the hospital cafeteria and try our food."

Still eager to continue their discussion, Zhu Quanxin enthusiastically pulled Li Xu toward the cafeteria.

In truth, the cafeteria food was nothing special.

The flavor, in particular, was a far cry from what you’d get at a restaurant outside.

However, Zhu Quanxin ate with great relish.

Li Xu wasn’t picky and ate his meal without complaint.

In the afternoon, Zhu Quanxin’s patient load increased, and he became busy with appointments.

Seeing this, Li Xu prepared to take his leave.

He felt he had gained a great deal from this visit.

Not only had he validated his knowledge in a practical setting, but he had also learned invaluable clinical experience from Director Zhu—the kind that can’t be found in books.

Before he left, he looked at Zhu Quanxin and asked with a smile, "Director Zhu, we’ve been talking for so long... Aren’t you curious where I learned my Acupuncture Technique?"

Zhu Quanxin was taken aback by the question.

He was, in fact, very curious.

However, he had specifically asked around before and knew that Li Xu had a special connection with Professor Gao Guanghui, a leading expert from the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Therefore, he had subconsciously assumed that Li Xu’s miraculous Acupuncture Technique had been passed down to him by Professor Gao.

But he also found it a bit puzzling.

Because as far as he knew, while Professor Gao Guanghui was a great master of Chinese medicine, his expertise lay in herbal formulas and complex internal diseases. He’d never heard that the professor possessed such a high level of mastery in acupuncture.

More importantly, throughout their morning’s discussion, he could clearly sense that Li Xu’s approach to acupuncture—from his theories on point selection to his reinforcing and reducing techniques—bore the distinct, orthodox mark of the "Chengjiang School."

But Professor Gao was not an heir to the Chengjiang School tradition.

Years ago, Zhu Quanxin had the good fortune to study for a time under Mr. Cheng, the second-generation heir of the Chengjiang School.

Although his own limited aptitude meant he couldn’t even be considered an official disciple, he still knew a thing or two about the essence of the Chengjiang School’s acupuncture.

It was for this very reason that he had hesitated to ask about Li Xu’s tutelage, fearing he might overstep and touch upon sensitive distinctions between medical schools, causing unnecessary awkwardness.

He never expected Li Xu to bring up the subject himself.

"So... you didn’t learn from Professor Gao?" Zhu Quanxin asked tentatively.

Li Xu shook his head. Seeing the curiosity in Zhu Quanxin’s eyes, he didn’t keep him in suspense any longer and said frankly:

"To be honest with you, Director Zhu, I didn’t study under any famous master. My entire Acupuncture Technique comes from a set of notes."

"Notes?"

"Yes." Li Xu’s voice was tinged with emotion. "A while ago, by a stroke of great fortune, I came into possession of a set of handwritten acupuncture notes by Mr. Cheng himself. Those notes chronicle his entire journey of learning, researching, and practicing acupuncture, along with his unique insights into various techniques and illnesses. It was only by studying these notes that I’ve managed to gain a rudimentary understanding of the art of acupuncture."

"What?! E-Elder Cheng’s personal, handwritten notes?"

Hearing this, Zhu Quanxin’s eyes went wide, and his breathing grew ragged.

’Elder Cheng’s notes... What did that even mean?!’

They were the culmination of a lifetime of work from a grandmaster who had founded his own school of medicine.

A priceless treasure that countless acupuncturists of later generations could only dream of obtaining.

He never dreamed he would hear such news in his lifetime!

Although Elder Cheng had authored many books on acupuncture, books and personal notes were two different things.

Notes recorded personal insights and experiences.

They made it easier to understand how Elder Cheng himself had learned acupuncture.

Studying the notes was like being taught personally by Elder Cheng.

Moreover, the notes likely contained his early mistakes, all of which Elder Cheng later corrected.

This would allow one to avoid making the same errors.

Their significance was completely different from that of a published book.

"Doctor Li..." Zhu Quanxin’s voice trembled with excitement. "A-Are you telling the truth?"

Seeing Zhu Quanxin’s excitement, Li Xu smiled and said, "Of course, it’s true. These notes shouldn’t be mine to hoard. They belong to everyone who loves acupuncture and is willing to strive for the cause of Chinese medicine. Director Zhu, I’ll make a copy of the notes when I get back. I’ll bring it to you in a few days."

"I can’t wait that long."

How could Zhu Quanxin possibly wait several days?

He excitedly grabbed Li Xu’s arm like a child who had just received a beloved toy. "Doctor Li, I’m going with you right now! I’m taking the afternoon off!"

Li Xu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at his excitement but could only nod in agreement.

And so, a dramatic scene unfolded.

Director Zhu of the City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Acupuncture Department took leave right in the middle of his afternoon shift, rushing out of the hospital in a great hurry after a young man in his twenties.

This left many patients waiting for acupuncture not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

However, there were other doctors in the Acupuncture Department, and they promptly took over for Director Zhu to treat the waiting patients.