Legend of the Silver Needle in the Vast Sea

A young physician traveling to the South Seas to seek his master survives a shipwreck and, after being rescued, ekes out a living in a mining camp. With his solid foundation in traditional Chinese medicine and his exceptional acupuncture skills, he earns his place in the camp. He even unravels the mystery of the Dato's daughter's "out-of-wedlock pregnancy." But fortune and misfortune come hand in hand: the treasured saber the Dato gives him in gratitude draws the covetous eyes of villains, leading to arson and even murder... Deep in the jungle, A-Liao goes into the mountains to gather herbs, and the Dato's daughter's curiosity gets the better of her, unveiling a terrifying and bizarre cult conspiracy... The arduous struggle of the Chinese in Wushui, the havoc wreaked by sea pirates, the turbulent storms at the Singapore docks, and commercial shadow wars spanning Europe and Asia... In a chaotic world surging with tides, hearts churn, yet the young physician remains true to his original aspiration: practicing medicine to save lives, establishing schools, and converting wealth into relief for his compatriots... A lifetime of skills becomes a legend, and this is its record. — Description from novelcodex.org