Chapter 173: Wenqing Lane

After Duan Rong achieved the second layer of the Womb Treasury Sutra, his Divine Sense could be projected outward. Over these past few days, while practicing Standing Stake and circulating his Internal Breath, he also projected his Divine Sense, allowing it to penetrate his own body to inspect the state of his Internal Breath circulating through his meridians and dantian.

This kind of Divine Sense inspection is different from the internal vision used when practicing internal martial arts.

That "internal vision" is actually a vague perception; it forms a comprehensive internal view through the perception of Qi meridians, the sensations of the internal organs, and the resonance between one's mental focus and the Internal Breath in the meridians and dantian.

However, when Duan Rong inspects his body through Divine Sense projection, the level of detail and precision far exceeds the "internal vision" used when practicing internal martial arts.

Under such detailed and precise observation, many problems were discovered.

Duan Rong discovered that the medicinal power of the prescription Xiao Zongting gave him was sufficiently potent. Throughout the entire process of circulating Internal Breath, the medicinal power between the meridians and internal organs would be continuously stimulated and gathered into the Internal Breath within the meridians.

But the penetrative power of this medicinal strength is very weak. While it surges and steams between the major meridians, once it reaches slightly finer meridians, the medicinal power lingers and piles up outside them, unable to squeeze in...

If one only used internal vision to observe, one would not be able to see these subtle conditions, but when Duan Rong viewed them with Divine Sense, he saw them very clearly.

In the meridian circulation path of the third layer of Internal Breath, the participation of these fine meridians reaches nearly one-third. In other words, if Duan Rong could solve the problem of medicinal penetrative power and allow the medicinal power to permeate into the finer meridians, then his Internal Breath cultivation speed could climb higher.

Moreover, this problem is not unique to the third layer. Now that Duan Rong has already devoured the Great Accomplishment realm Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber, although he has not yet begun to practice the fourth layer of Internal Breath, he is already very familiar with its circulation method.

In the meridian circulation path of the fourth layer of Internal Breath, the participation of these fine meridians is even higher; in Great Accomplishment realm Internal Breath cultivation, the participation of these fine meridians is nearly half.

"If I can solve the problem of medicinal penetrative power, the speed of my Internal Breath cultivation could reach a much higher level!"

"Furthermore, this problem of insufficient medicinal permeation will have an even greater impact on the fourth layer of Internal Breath cultivation."

Duan Rong's expression was solemn; he finally made up his mind to start trying to solve this problem.

It is said that sharpening the knife does not delay the work of cutting wood. What if he could solve it?

"To solve this problem, I must start with the prescription and the medicinal properties of the herbs..." Duan Rong stood in the courtyard, muttering to himself with a profound look in his eyes.

Wenqing Lane, which intersects with West Street, is already not far from South City. Compared to the bustling sections of West Street, this place already clearly shows signs of decay.

The shops on both sides of the street also look much older and dirtier.

It is precisely at the southeast corner of the intersection of Wenqing Lane and West Street that a Medical Hall is located. The owner of this Medical Hall is Gu Suxiu, who performed acupuncture and treated Xiao Baijiao.

After Gu Suxiu finished breakfast in the Back Courtyard, he opened the door of the Medical Hall. He then offered three sticks of incense to the Buddha statue enshrined in the Shrine on the side of the door, bowed three times, and inserted the incense into the incense burner.

Gu Suxiu's family believes in Buddhism; it seems to have started with his grandfather. This faith, along with medical skills, has been passed down in the family.

A family of the Medical Path—that is quite normal; after all, it is about a benevolent heart and benevolent skills!

After Gu Suxiu paid his respects to the Buddha, he brewed a cup of clear tea. Sitting before the desk, he turned the pair of Nanmu Palm Beads in his hand while flipping through a hand-copied ancient book on the art of acupuncture.

The pair of Nanmu Palm Beads in Gu Suxiu's hand were made for himself when he was in his early twenties. Counting them up, this pair of palm beads has already accompanied him through more than thirty springs and autumns...

Each palm bead has six smooth protrusions on it; adding the two beads together makes twelve protrusions.

The palms are densely packed with acupuncture points; rolling and rubbing the palm beads in the palm all year round has the effect of nourishing Qi and massage.

Gu Suxiu has rolled the palm beads for years, and it has become an unconscious, natural movement. Whether reading or sitting idly, or even sometimes taking a nap at noon, the beads never leave his hands. Under his constant rubbing over the years, the surface of those two Nanmu Palm Beads has developed a layer of oily, bright patina...

Early in the morning, taking advantage of the time when the Medical Hall was empty, Duan Rong had already arrived at the entrance of Wenqing Lane and saw that the Medical Hall was already open.

The storefront of the Medical Hall is not very large, but a rain canopy has been erected along the wall outside. Under the canopy are a few folding stools for patients waiting to see the doctor to rest.

Beside the door of the Medical Hall hangs a very eye-catching wooden sign, on which the four characters "Suxiu Medical Hall" are written in neat and powerful calligraphy.

On both sides of the door hangs a rather old and peeling wooden couplet: "May there be no sickness or suffering in the world, I would rather the medicine on the shelves gather dust."

Duan Rong glanced at the couplet, his expression shifted slightly. He projected his Divine Sense and discovered that Gu Suxiu was alone, sitting inside the Medical Hall, so he lifted his feet and entered.

Gu Suxiu was looking at that hand-copied ancient book on acupuncture when he suddenly felt a dark shadow flash at the entrance of the Medical Hall; clearly, someone had come in.

Gu Suxiu stood up immediately and saw that the person who entered was a youth of seventeen or eighteen, with a square face, bright eyes, and a composed demeanor.

Gu Suxiu's heart stirred; he had already recognized Duan Rong.

Although he had only met him once before Xiao Baijiao died, Gu Suxiu had a deep impression of Duan Rong.

Because Duan Rong's acupuncture technique had some traces of his family's ancestral Plum Blossom Needle technique, which made him feel for a moment that this youth might have some connection to his Gu family...

"I wonder what brings young friend Duan here?" Gu Suxiu looked at Duan Rong and asked with a kind, faint smile.

Duan Rong was slightly stunned. He did not expect Gu Suxiu to recognize him immediately. He had originally thought that after a single meeting and several months passing, Gu Suxiu should have forgotten him, but he did not expect this old physician to have the ability to never forget what he had seen.

Duan Rong chuckled and said, "I have been feeling a bit restless in my mind lately, and I often cannot sleep peacefully at night. I wonder what the symptoms might be?"

Gu Suxiu's eyes flashed slightly. As the saying goes, a physician observes, listens, asks, and feels the pulse. As Duan Rong stepped into the hall, he had already observed him. This youth's gait was steady, his gaze was warm and spirited, and his breathing was light and long. Not only was he not ill, but he was far healthier than an ordinary person.

That was why, when the other party walked into the Medical Hall, he had seemingly superfluously asked what brought him here, because in his view, Duan Rong was not here to see a doctor.

As the saying goes, once an expert makes a move, one knows if they are the real deal. Gu Suxiu actually saw it correctly; Duan Rong was indeed not here to see a doctor. But since Duan Rong had already stated his symptoms, he could not reject him outright. Firstly, it would be too damaging to his face, and secondly, he had to take his pulse to confirm.

"Young friend, please sit!" Gu Suxiu gestured with his hand toward a chair with a soft cushion in front of his diagnostic table.

Duan Rong sat down and placed his hand on the pulse pillow. Gu Suxiu wiped his hands with a cotton towel, reached out to take the pulse, and after two breaths, signaled for him to switch hands.

Gu Suxiu wiped his hands and glanced at Duan Rong. He confirmed that Duan Rong was not ill. If a person could not sleep well for several nights in a row, their pulse would never be this strong and steady, continuous and powerful without any stagnation.

Gu Suxiu smiled and said, "Young friend, you might be overthinking things; it is nothing serious. I will write a mild calming prescription, and you should be much better after taking two doses."

Gu Suxiu wrote the prescription and looked up, saying, "These few herbs are common; my Medical Hall has them. I will prepare them for you, young friend. Is that acceptable?"

"Of course, that would be even better! Thank you for your trouble, Elder Gu!" Duan Rong said with a simple, honest smile.

(End of chapter)