Tong Kangcheng had thought a few sharp words would be enough to teach Lin Yu a lesson and make him back down.
But to his surprise, the young man seemed to have no idea what humility was.
His expression darkened, and he said unhappily, “Young man, saving a life is no child’s play.
Your spouting nonsense here is incredibly disrespectful to the patient.”
Tong Xiaoxiao came up to Lin Yu with a cold expression, pointed toward the door, and said, “Please get out.”
It was still uncertain whether Tong Kangcheng could save Gu Hongtu, and he was bound to face immense pressure from Gu Shangzhi.
Now Lin Yu had shown up to cause trouble and waste precious treatment time, which made her extremely anxious and gave her a very poor opinion of him.
Gu Shangzhi had reached his limit.
He slammed his hand on the counter and yelled at Lin Yu, “My father needs immediate treatment, and you’re here wasting Doctor Tong’s time!”
“What are you trying to pull?
Get out, now!
Or I won’t be so courteous.”
Lin Yu didn’t get angry.
He just shook his head, picked up his medicine, and walked outside.
He had given his warning.
Since they refused to listen, he wasn’t about to force the issue.
He went to the bus stop to wait for his ride.
With Lin Yu gone, Tong Kangcheng began to apply the needles with his full concentration.
As the first needle went in, he nervously watched Gu Hongtu’s reaction.
Even though he was sure Lin Yu had been talking nonsense, his words had still planted a seed of doubt in his mind.
Seeing no reaction from Gu Hongtu, Tong Kangcheng snorted.
‘Lin Yu really was just spouting nonsense,’ he thought.
However, just as he was about to confidently apply the second needle…
Gu Hongtu’s face suddenly turned crimson.
He began to gasp, taking huge gulps of air, but none of it seemed to enter his lungs.
Immediately after, Gu Hongtu’s complexion went from red to black.
His body convulsed a few times before he let out a sick SPLURT, spraying a mouthful of black blood.
His eyes rolled back into his head, and he stopped breathing.
The scene shocked everyone present.
“Th-th-this…” Tong Kangcheng’s hand trembled, and the Silver Needle fell to the floor.
Tong Xiaoxiao was so frightened she clapped a hand over her mouth, her mind going completely blank.
Gu Shangzhi scrambled over to check for Gu Hongtu’s breath, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
It was partly from worry, and partly from rage.
“Dad!
Dad!” Gu Shangzhi yelled desperately, but Gu Hongtu gave no response.
“You quack!
I’ll destroy your reputation today!” Gu Shangzhi, unable to contain his fury, grabbed Tong Kangcheng by the collar and roared.
“Didn’t you say the needles would stabilize his condition?
Then why has my father stopped breathing?”
“Answer me!”
“I…
Mr.
Gu, please, let me think of something else.” Sweat poured down Tong Kangcheng’s face.
If Gu Hongtu really died in Jishi Hall…
His reputation as a Divine Doctor would be utterly ruined, and he’d be forced to close the clinic for good.
He had practiced medicine his entire life without a single major error.
To have this happen in his twilight years would be a stain on his legacy.
“My dad isn’t breathing!
What else could you possibly do?” Gu Shangzhi roared.
Tong Kangcheng suddenly remembered Lin Yu’s words.
He turned to Tong Xiaoxiao and said urgently, “Xiaoxiao, hurry!
Go see if that young man is still outside!”
“If he is, ask him to come back!”
Tong Xiaoxiao nodded robotically and ran outside.
When Tong Xiaoxiao got outside, she saw Lin Yu waiting for the bus.
She rushed over and said, panting, “Hey!
My grandfather wants you to come back.”
Lin Yu had already guessed something had gone wrong.
There was no time to think about it now.
He immediately followed Tong Xiaoxiao back into Jishi Hall.
“You quack!
I, Gu Shangzhi, am a man of my word.
As of today, your clinic is closed for good.”
Gu Shangzhi’s rage was unabated.
Looking at his father’s lifeless form, he roared in anguish at Tong Kangcheng.
Tong Kangcheng stammered, at a complete loss for words.
In his entire life as a doctor, he had never felt so utterly humiliated.
“Grandpa, I brought him back,” Tong Xiaoxiao said, leading Lin Yu to Tong Kangcheng.
“Young man,” Tong Kangcheng began, “from your earlier words, you must know something about medicine, correct?”
“Please, take a look at Elder Gu’s condition.
Is there any hope of saving him?”
Tong Kangcheng’s tone toward Lin Yu had changed, becoming much more respectful.
He had just checked Gu Hongtu’s condition himself and had been filled with despair.
Lin Yu glanced at Gu Hongtu.
The situation was just as he’d expected.
He nodded firmly.
“He can be saved.”
Tong Kangcheng’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Young man, please, what method can save Elder Gu?” he asked urgently.
Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Shangzhi cut him off.
“Saved?
My father has already stopped breathing!
How can you possibly save him?”
“What are you, some kind of god?
I’m warning you both, if you’re ganging up to deceive me, the consequences will be severe.”
“Do you understand me, young man?
You’d better be able to back up your words.”
Lin Yu turned to Gu Shangzhi and pointed impatiently at a nearby chair.
“If you don’t want your father to be well and truly dead, then shut your mouth starting now.”
“And don’t come over here unless I call for you.”
Gu Shangzhi opened his mouth to retort, but a single glare from Lin Yu sent a chill down his spine and stopped him cold.
He let out a heavy snort and moved to the side, pacing restlessly.
He had to cling to any hope, no matter how small.
He couldn’t let his father go just like that.
“Young man, what should we do now?” Tong Kangcheng asked, growing more anxious as he looked at Gu Hongtu.
“Just apply the needles as I instruct,” Lin Yu said.
Though still skeptical, Tong Kangcheng picked up a Silver Needle.
“First needle, Tongtian.”
“Second needle, Tiantu.”
…
After applying more than a dozen needles in a row, Tong Kangcheng was panting from exhaustion, his nerves stretched taut.
At that moment, he ran out of Silver Needles.
Tong Kangcheng immediately told Tong Xiaoxiao to get another pack.
Lin Yu took the new pack of Silver Needles.
“I’ll do the next seven,” he said.
“You can handle the rest.”
Lin Yu moved with lightning speed, silently infusing a wisp of Spiritual Qi into each Silver Needle as he inserted them into seven of Gu Hongtu’s major acupoints.
Tong Kangcheng saw that Lin Yu’s technique was not only masterful, but also incredibly effective.
He had just seen Gu Hongtu’s hand twitch—a clear sign that his life force was returning.
Moreover, Lin Yu’s acupuncture technique left him utterly shocked.
“Is this…
the Life Reviving Needle?”
“Grandpa, what’s the Life Reviving Needle?” Tong Xiaoxiao had studied Western medicine, so she wasn’t very familiar with the intricacies of traditional Chinese practices.
Tong Kangcheng explained, “The Life Reviving Needle…
I heard from my own master that it’s a technique handed down from antiquity.
It was thought to have been lost to the modern world.”
“This young man must be a true hidden master to know such a technique.”
“It sounds incredible,” Tong Xiaoxiao said with a nod.
“Alright, you can continue applying the needles to Elder Gu now.” Lin Yu handed the Silver Needles back to Tong Kangcheng and gave a noncommittal nod.
‘The Life Reviving Needle was just one of the most basic techniques from the legacy he had inherited.’
‘With his current level of cultivation, he wasn’t yet able to perform the more profound techniques.’
Tong Kangcheng took the Silver Needles, his attitude toward Lin Yu now one of utmost respect.
He asked cautiously,
“Where should the next needle go?”
Following Lin Yu’s guidance, Tong Kangcheng continued to apply the needles.
As the final one was placed, Gu Hongtu suddenly let out a long, deep breath.
The whites of his eyes receded, and he regained consciousness.