Chapter 69: Nine Turns of Golden Needle

  "What a waste, can't even handle such a small matter." By dusk, Nie Fengxing's slightly pale face began to turn green, and his saliva splattered onto the faces of the three Wu Tong opposite him.

  These three good-for-nothings spent more than an hour and still hadn't brought back the beautiful Mei Ren's flower hairpin. How could Nie Feng not be furious? If he knew that the three Wu Tong had hidden to try out Nie Kong's massage techniques before coming back to see him, they would probably have been skinned alive by now.

  Wu Tong, Er Lin and San Mu were already accustomed to such a scene, bowing their heads respectfully and allowing Nie Feng Xing to scold them, with a fearful expression on their faces.

  After a long while, the hall finally quieted down. Nie Feng Xing walked back and forth with a cold face. Although he was arrogant, he wasn't brainless. Snatching someone's wife had always been a taboo for the Nie family. Even as the son of the clan leader, he didn't dare to do such a thing openly and could only secretly coerce her.

  If Nie Kong had died, it would have been easy to say that Hua Mei was willing to remarry after being brought over. Who knew his life was so hard and he actually came back to life? Thinking of Hua Mei's face turning red with shyness, her pure and delicate appearance revealing a hint of charm, Nie Feng Xing felt both anxious and itchy in his heart.

  "Third Master, Nie Kong also said that he will return the 'Hui Chun Lu' to you as soon as possible." Wu Tong smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming with a cunning light.

  "What's he going to repay with? The monthly allowance of 50 gold coins given by the clan for his upbringing?" Nie Feng sneered with disdain.

  "Yes, yes, that kid doesn't even have the money to buy himself a spiritual medicine, and he's saying he'll return the 'Rejuvenating Dew' to you? One bottle of Rejuvenating Dew costs 10,000, can he afford it?" Wu Tong hastily chimed in.

  As soon as he heard this, Nie Fengxing's eyes lit up, and he patted Wu Tong's shoulder, smiling slyly: "Good, well said. Isn't he going to return the 'Spring Dew'? Let him return it then. But I won't go bother him now, I reckon in six or seven days he'll need the spiritual medicine to save his life again, that's when I'll pay him a visit!"

  "Clever, Third Master is truly clever."

  Three men, Wu Tong, flattered in unison. Six or seven days later, Nie Kong had no money to buy medicine, and San Shao Ye came to the door again to urge him to return Qing Lian, Nie Kong had no choice but to send his sister-in-law to San Shao Ye if he didn't want to die. At this critical moment, they believed that even San Shao Ye wouldn't be so stubborn all the time. For a moment, Wu Tong and others felt a little sorry for Nie Kong, but thinking of their own hidden diseases, they became worried again...

  ……

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  The sky gradually darkened.

  The room was simply furnished with only one bed, one table and one chair, but it was extremely clean, without a speck of dust. The door that had been kicked in yesterday afternoon had also been repaired.

  The candlelight on the desk flickered, and nine golden needles placed side by side on a black cloth next to it shone brightly. Huamei stood in front of the desk, curiously and nervously clenching her small fists, her beautiful eyes darting back and forth between Nie Kong and the golden needles. At this moment, she wore a simple dress with a wooden hairpin, without any makeup, her delicate skin radiating a soft red glow under the candlelight, crystal clear and translucent, as if it could be blown away by a breath, exuding a unique charm.

  "Uncle, can these golden needles cure your illness? How do I use them?" Hua Mei finally couldn't help but ask. After Nie Kong drew the pattern of nine golden needles last night, she went to a jewelry store in Jieyang City this morning and asked a spiritual master craftsman who was familiar with her grandfather Nie Qingyang to make them, spending a whole day to create them.

  "Of course, just bind them into the body." Nie Kong explained simply.

  "Ah, inserted into the body? Such a long needle, what if...what if..." Hua Mei didn't finish her sentence, but her small face turned pale with fear.

  "It won't kill anyone, I'm confident." Nie Kong said with a wry smile. The people here didn't have the concept of acupuncture and probably thought that inserting long needles into the body would pierce them to death. "Sister, you go out first, I'll start now. If nothing unexpected happens, it will take effect tomorrow."

  "Uncle, I...I'll stay and help you." Hua Mei couldn't put her mind at ease.

  Nie Kong shook his head and said, "No need, I can handle it myself. Besides, when getting the acupuncture, I still have to take off my clothes."

  "Oh."

  Her eyebrows were slightly hot on her face. If it was a brother and sister, it would be fine, but the two were after all uncle and aunt, it was indeed inconvenient, Huā Méi hesitated and said, "Th-then... Uncle, you be careful, I'll be outside, if something happens just call me." After Niè Kōng agreed, Huā Méi walked out of the room, when closing the door she left a small gap, so she could carefully observe the situation inside.

  Nie Kong didn't mind, taking off his outer garment and sitting cross-legged on the bed with only a pair of shorts left. Nie Kong's eyes were sunken, his cheeks were thin, and his chest was clearly visible with prominent skeletal marks, almost no flesh on his body.

  For this weak body, Nie Kong was not very satisfied, but after being ill for eighteen years, he couldn't be too demanding. After recovering from his illness and taking good care of himself for a period of time, his body should become stronger.

  A moment later, Nie Kong collected his thoughts and began to disinfect the third golden needle in length.

  These nine golden needles vary in thickness and length. In Nie Kong's inherited medical skills, the names of these nine golden needles are also different from those commonly used in the world.

  Huangdi Neijing: Ling Shu: Jiuzhen Lun has a passage that says ——

  The Yellow Emperor said: I heard about the nine needles from you, Master, and they are numerous and vast. I still do not understand, so I dare to ask: where did the nine needles originate, and why do they have their names? Qi Bo said: The nine needles are based on the great numbers of heaven and earth, starting with one and ending with nine. Therefore, it is said: One follows the law of heaven, Two follows the law of earth, Three follows the law of man, Four follows the law of time, Five follows the law of sound, Six follows the law of water, Seven follows the law of stars, Eight follows the law of wind, Nine follows the law of fields.

  The nine needles in the medical skills of Nie Kong's ancestors are named after Bo Qi's answers, from long to short: Tian Zhen, Di Zhen, Ren Zhen, Shi Zhen, Yin Zhen, Lv Zhen, Xing Zhen, Feng Zhen and Ye Zhen.

  "Hmm..."

  Nie Kong took a deep breath and gently manipulated his fingers, slowly inserting the acupuncture needle into the "Heart Sea Point" on his chest. This hidden point was located between the Shenfeng Point and the Ruzhong Point...

  ……

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  Hua Mei stood stupidly outside, wanting to see the situation inside the house. But as soon as she thought that Nie Kong might be naked at this moment, she felt a little timid. After hesitating for a while, she still couldn't calm down, so Hua Mei strongly endured her shyness and quietly stuck her face close to the door gap. Nie Kong's thin body was instantly imprinted in her eyes.

  At this time, Huā Méi's heart was racing like a drum, and she subconsciously wanted to look away. But before she could act on it, Niè Kōng picked up the golden needle over half a foot long and stabbed it into his own chest. That place was his heart! Huā Méi's face turned pale, and she couldn't help but want to cry out in shock. Afraid of startling Niè Kōng, she quickly covered her mouth and swallowed back the sound that had risen to her throat.

  The golden needle pierced deeper and deeper, and Huamei's eyes grew wider and wider. Finally, Nie Kong loosened his grip, and the golden needle was left with only half exposed outside, trembling gently, and Huamei's heart also trembled along with it. Uncle, how can you be so bold? What if something goes wrong?

  Tightly pursing her lips, Hua Mei's worried eyes were on the verge of tears, while Nie Kong had already picked up the second longest golden needle to disinfect it, and then inserted it into his right chest.

  The nine great hidden orifices are: the Heart Sea Orifice is in the left chest; the Jade Brightness Orifice is in the right chest; the Heavenly Palace Orifice is between the Armpit Orifice and the Central Court Orifice; the Black Court Orifice is at the back of the neck; the Dragon's Mouth Orifice is on top of the head; the Spirit Separation Orifice and the Yang Peak Orifice are on the lower back; the Mysterious Spring Orifice is above the Spirit Palace; and finally, the Jade Pond Orifice is inside the Cinnabar Field.

  After finishing the Earth Needle, Nie Kong's speed of inserting needles became faster and faster. The Heavenly Needle entered the Tian Gong, the Sound Needle entered the Hei Ting, the Law Needle entered the Long Quan, the Star Needle entered the Shen Li, the Wind Needle entered the Yang Feng, and the Wild Needle entered the Mi Quan. In the end, only one Heavenly Needle was left, as well as the Yao Chi hole, which was located in the empty space between the three orifices of the Ling Shen.

  That place has been occupied by the seeds of Zi Luo Huan Ling Xiang, but this can't stop Nie Kong from sewing. When the first needle entered the Yao Chi, a soft hum was heard, and the remaining eight needles seemed to be connected by an invisible thread, trembling slightly at the same time...

  ……