Lin Xue was also quite intrigued; she had never imagined that such a place existed right in the heart of this small city.
Master Li and his companion drove their car, with Ye Ning following closely behind.
They arrived at the entrance of a traditional courtyard residence.
The courtyard covered a vast area, resembling a small private estate.
The grand double gates were flanked by two stone guardian lions.
It was much like the residences of wealthy and powerful aristocratic families in ancient times.
Master Li stepped forward and directly pressed the doorbell.
Shortly after, the gates opened, and someone came out to greet them.
It was an old man in his sixties, looking remarkably energetic and in high spirits.
Upon catching sight of Master Li, his face instantly lit up.
"Master Li, what brings you over today? Why didn't you let me know in advance so I could make proper preparations to welcome you?" the old man said hurriedly.
Master Li smiled and said, "Brother Jiang, you are far too polite. I am hosting some distinguished guests today, and knowing that your establishment is the only one in the entire small city with standards high enough, I came on a whim without prior notice. I hope you will forgive me."
Master Li was extremely courteous, completely devoid of any arrogance.
The old man cast a surprised glance at the group. He recognized the female assistant, so she certainly could not be the distinguished guest.
The true guest of honor must be the young man and woman standing before him.
This realization left the old man somewhat astonished, but he did not ask any further questions. Instead, he said immediately, "Since Master Li is entertaining distinguished guests today, my establishment will be closed to other patrons so that nothing disturbs Master Li's leisure."
With that, the old man closed the outer gate.
He personally escorted them inside, arranged a private dining room, brewed a fresh pot of tea for them, and then excused himself.
Ye Ning took a sip of the tea, and his eyes lit up slightly.
"Not bad at all. Top-quality tea. The owner thinks quite highly of you," Ye Ning remarked.
Master Li smiled. "This brother of mine is named Jiang Weiguo. Back when he was in the middle stages of cancer, I spent two full years painstakingly nursing him back to health. That is why he treats me with such profound respect."
"Can cancer really be cured?" Lin Xue asked in astonishment.
To almost anyone, a cancer diagnosis was practically a death sentence. The notion of curing it was something one would never even dare to dream of.
She suspected that Master Li might simply be bragging.
Ye Ning, however, nodded in agreement. "It seems your medical skills are indeed quite impressive; I previously underestimated you. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is no concept called 'cancer.' Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that human health relies on the smooth, continuous circulation of *qi* and blood. So-called cancerous tumors are merely the stagnation of *qi* and blood. As long as the treatment is appropriate and one's *qi* and blood become sufficiently robust, one can break through that stagnation, or at the very least, redirect the flow and delay the progression of the illness."
Master Li's eyes lit up. It takes only a brief touch from an expert to know whether they are genuine.
With just a few casual remarks, Ye Ning made it abundantly clear that he was a true master with profound attainments in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Looking thoughtful, Lin Xue asked with a hint of confusion, "Why is it that in modern society, Traditional Chinese Medicine does not yield such remarkable results?"
"That is because Traditional Chinese Medicine is difficult to learn and requires genuine talent. Some people study just the superficial basics and dare to open a clinic and treat patients. In ancient times, anyone who dared to do that would be facing decapitation the moment something went wrong. Nowadays, they no longer face such severe punishments, which has led to a flood of incompetent frauds," Ye Ning said with a cold sneer.
He glanced at Master Li and continued, "The fact that he was able to treat a mid-stage cancer case proves that he has already caught a glimpse of the true path. Only physicians with this level of competence were qualified to practice medicine in the imperial courts of the past."
"What level has your medical skill reached?" Lin Xue asked out of curiosity.
She knew that Ye Ning possessed extraordinary medical abilities, but she had no idea the extent of his mastery.
"Traditional Chinese Medicine is divided into stages: the apprentice, catching a glimpse of the path, stepping into the hall, achieving mastery, and reaching the realm of divine transformation. I am roughly at the stage of divine transformation."
"In ancient times, practicing physicians had to have at least caught a glimpse of the path. Stepping into the hall roughly corresponds to the level of imperial physicians in the royal palace. Mastery is the realm of legendary figures like Bian Que, Hua Tuo, and the Divine Farmer."
Lin Xue was struck dumb, only then realizing what Ye Ning meant by "divine transformation."
He was implying that he had already surpassed Hua Tuo and Bian Que—wasn't that a bit too arrogant?
Master Li was equally shocked. The five realms of the medical path were completely unknown to anyone unless they possessed a deeply profound medical heritage.
The fact that Ye Ning could explain them in such meticulous detail proved that his medical prowess was exceptionally high.
Even if he hadn't reached divine transformation, he had at least stepped into the hall.
Such a person, if placed in ancient times, would have been revered as a miracle worker across the land.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Ancient Martial Arts Club
In most eras, "stepping into the hall" was already considered the pinnacle of contemporary medical practice.
To achieve true mastery of medicine required the talent of a prodigy, someone capable of leaving a monumental mark in history.
As for divine transformation, only figures like Bian Que, Hua Tuo, and Zhang Zhongjng had ever approached that threshold without truly reaching it.
It was said that those with divine transformation-level medical skills possessed methods bordering on the celestial—beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals.
They could bring the dead back to life, regenerate flesh on skeletal bones, and cheat mortality itself.
Such methods were practically immortal arts.
"I am curious. Since you had already caught a glimpse of the path, how did you manage to run your body down into such a wretched state? Logically speaking, with your medical expertise, it should have been impossible for you not to notice," Ye Ning said, fixing his gaze on Master Li.
Master Li gave a wry, bitter laugh. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke. "I don't have any major vices, except for a congenital obsession with female beauty. I simply indulged myself a bit too excessively in matters of the flesh."
With that, he cast a glance at his female assistant.
The female assistant blushed deeply and lowered her head.
Lin Xue also felt rather awkward, finding Master Li remarkably uninhibited in his speech.
Ye Ning gave a faint smile. "In matters like this, as long as you have the proper method, even indulgence won't harm your physical constitution."
Master Li's eyes lit up instantly, and he dropped to his knees right on the spot.
"I beg the Master to teach me!"
"I will speak, and you will listen."
Master Li nodded repeatedly, wearing an expression of absolute, rapt attention.
"The mechanism of movement and stillness, the origin of yin and yang... the dragon and tiger generating one another, yin and yang balancing and sustaining each other, mutually benefiting and reinforcing."
Lin Xue and the female assistant listened in utter bewilderment, but Master Li's eyes were shining with brilliance.
This was no ordinary medical treatment; Ye Ning was imparting a genuine Qi Refining cultivation method to him.
For someone like him who loved women, this was quite literally tailor-made for his nature.
As a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine who had caught a glimpse of the true path, he possessed a decent lineage and naturally knew that *true qi* actually existed. After all, there were still many martial artists active in modern society.
It was simply that his sect lacked the proper methods, making it impossible for them to cultivate *qi*.
If he could harness *true qi*, not only would his physical health improve drastically, but his medical skills would also leap forward by bounds.
The application of many advanced medical techniques required the cooperation of *true qi*.
The loss of Qi Refining, or rather, the methods of nurturing *qi*, had dealt a fatal blow to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Master Li had an exceptional memory and committed the entire technique to heart in a single pass.
Immediately afterward, he asked Ye Ning for clarification on a few points he found baffling.
Ye Ning answered his questions, and in less than twenty minutes, he had completely mastered the scripture.
"I am teaching you this *qi*-nurturing method simply because I see that you possess a benevolent healer's heart. I hope that once you enter the path, you will perform more good deeds and never forget your original aspirations."
Master Li said with solemn reverence, "Please rest assured, Master; I most certainly will."
At that moment, the owner walked in carrying a tray of dishes and froze at the sight before him.
"Master Li, what is going on here? Is he bullying you?"
The previously amiable old man instantly changed his expression, glaring viciously at Ye Ning as if he wanted to devour him alive.
Realizing that the owner had misunderstood, Master Li hurried to explain, "Brother Jiang, you've got it all wrong! Master Ye is practically my teacher. He was just imparting medical knowledge to me, and I was simply showing my gratitude to my mentor."
So that was it.
Seeing that Master Li did not look like he was being coerced, the owner felt a mix of surprise and doubt.
Could a mere youth possibly possess medical skills superior to Master Li's?
However, he also knew that there were many extraordinary people in this world.
Before Master Li cured him, he hadn't believed in Traditional Chinese Medicine at all.
Yet, his mid-stage cancer had been completely cured by Master Li.
Furthermore, Master Li regularly provided him with treatments that left his physique far superior to that of ordinary men his age.
Naturally, he believed Master Li's words without hesitation.
"So that's how it is. It was all a misunderstanding. Forgive me, Master Ye," the owner said with a smile.
He placed the dishes on the table and respectfully withdrew from the room.
At the same time, Master Li stood up from where he had been kneeling.
Ye Ning took a bite of the food prepared by the owner, and his eyes lit up.
"Delicious."
Ye Ning uttered only a single word.
A broad smile immediately bloomed across Master Li's face; coming to this place had been the right choice.
"If Teacher enjoys the food, I will speak with Brother Jiang so that Teacher can come and dine here whenever you wish," Master Li said with a smile.
Ye Ning looked slightly awkward, glanced at Master Li, and said, "Don't call me Teacher; I'm not used to it."
Master Li shook his head firmly. "You imparted the method of spirit-nurturing and *qi*-cultivation to me, which makes you my revered mentor. Of course, I know that with my mediocre aptitude, I am unworthy of becoming your true disciple, but I implore you not to refuse my calling you Teacher."
People of Jiuzhou attached immense importance to the bond between master and disciple.
"Have it your way, then."
Ye Ning said with a casual shrug.
After finishing the meal, the two exchanged phone numbers.
Master Li transferred one million to Ye Ning as a token of gratitude.
Ye Ning accepted it without hesitation; one million was not a significant sum.
If he were willing to impart this cultivation method freely, there were undoubtedly countless wealthy tycoons who would flock to him, willing to pay astronomical sums just to acquire it.
Checking the time, Lin Xue said, "I'll take you somewhere."
"A hotel?" Ye Ning asked.
Rolling her eyes at Ye Ning, Lin Xue retorted indignantly, "What on earth are your thoughts wandering to? I'm taking you to meet a good friend of mine. She also knows martial arts—she's an Ancient Martial Artist."
Ye Ning's interest was instantly piqued, and he said immediately, "Let's go, take me to broaden my horizons."
"Get in the car."
Driving the car, Lin Xue took Ye Ning back to the university campus.
She navigated past several academic buildings and finally brought the vehicle to a halt in front of a particular structure.
The Ancient Martial Arts Club.
The sign above the entrance bore three large characters. The calligraphy itself was quite decent, but the plaque was somewhat damaged and hung crookedly.
Something was wrong.
Lin Xue's expression shifted immediately.
Knowing how much her friend cared about her image, the fact that the sign had ended up like this clearly indicated that trouble had occurred.
Without a moment of hesitation, Lin Xue rushed inside, with Ye Ning following closely behind.
Inside the Ancient Martial Arts Club, a fight was currently underway.
Two young men were locked together, exchanging blows in a clumsy brawl.
Whenever they momentarily broke apart, they immediately resorted to wild, flailing punches.
"Damn it, those are people from the Karate Club! They're provoking the Ancient Martial Arts Club again," Lin Xue said, gritting her teeth in anger.
Ye Ning couldn't care less about the brawl; instead, he asked with mild curiosity, "Where are the experts?"
"Right over there."
Lin Xue pointed toward a cute girl with chubby, dumpling-like cheeks. At that moment, she was glaring angrily at the two combatants on the platform, her little face darkened with fury.
"Zhao Yong, can't you show some spine? Where are the moves I taught you? Use them, you blockhead!"
The girl shouted furiously, her voice soft and sweet. Even though she desperately wanted to project an imposing aura, she didn't look intimidating in the least; instead, she gave off an irresistibly adorable vibe.
Her outburst instantly defused the tense, combative atmosphere, making it feel almost harmonious.
Ye Ning was speechless. That was an expert?
He could not sense even the faintest trace of *qi* emanating from the girl.
In other words, the girl was nothing more than an ordinary human being.
However, her internal blood-qi was significantly more vigorous than that of an average person. At the very least, her physical fitness must be quite decent, far superior to ordinary people.
Ye Ning estimated that this girl could probably take down three or four strapping men in a physical fight.
Even so, that was the limit of it; she could not be considered an Ancient Martial Artist and fell far short of that echelon.
Not far away, however, a youth wearing a karate uniform caught his attention. There was a faint aura of *qi* lingering around him.
The youth in the karate uniform looked at the members of the Ancient Martial Arts Club with utter disdain.
Watching the farce unfold on the platform, he grew increasingly impatient.
"Baka! Stop fighting!" the youth roared.
The two combatants locked in combat both froze slightly, finally halting their movements.
"Your fighting is an insult to the martial dao! Stop making fools of yourselves and get down here," the youth said contemptuously.
The two men who had been brawling had long since grown tired of fighting.
What was supposed to be a martial arts spar had ultimately degenerated into a pathetic slapdash brawl, which was utterly humiliating.
Hearing the order to step down, they felt an immense wave of relief and hurried off the stage.
The youth fixed his gaze on the dumpling-faced girl and said coldly, "Deng Yang, do you dare to fight me?"
The dumpling-faced girl looked furious as she snapped, "As if I'm afraid of you!"
With that, she leaped directly onto the platform.
"Yamaguchi Kenichi, do you really think this club president is afraid of you? Today, I'm going to beat you little Japanese bastard until you drop to your knees and beg for mercy!"
Deng Yang shouted angrily, her chubby cheeks puffed out in indignation, her large almond eyes widened. Even when she was furious and issuing a challenge, she looked explosively adorable, making it impossible for anyone to take her seriously.
Yamaguchi Kenichi sneered and vaulted onto the ring.
Staring at Deng Yang, he said, "Just another Jiuzhou sickly weakling. I can defeat you with a single hand. What a pity that Jiuzhou has no real men left, forcing a mere woman to step up. How laughable."
The crowd below surged with indignation, especially the members of the Ancient Martial Arts Club, who glared at Yamaguchi Kenichi as if they wanted to swallow him alive.
They were about to swarm the ring together and teach Yamaguchi Kenichi a lesson first.
Seeing them charge forward, Yamaguchi Kenichi wore a face full of contemptuous smiles.
Today, he would take on a hundred single-handedly and show these Jiuzhou people what true martial supremacy looked like.
"All of you, stay right there! Dealing with him is enough with just me. Do you really doubt that I can beat a mere little Japanese bastard?"
Deng Yang demanded indignantly.
Hearing Deng Yang's words, the members of the Ancient Martial Arts Club finally calmed down.
They shouted in unison, "President, beat that little Japanese bastard to a pulp!"
"That's right, President! Teach him a proper lesson and knock all his teeth out. Let's see if he dares to be so arrogant then!"
"Go get him, President!"
The members of the Ancient Martial Arts Club roared in support.
They glared daggers at Yamaguchi Kenichi, wishing they could tear him apart with their bare hands.
A mere little Japanese bastard actually dared to run wild in Jiuzhou.
"Make your move! Let this club president see what kind of kung fu you little Japanese have. Today, I'm going to tell the entire world that your so-called Eastern Island martial arts can't even beat a woman from Jiuzhou!"
Deng Yang declared proudly.
A wave of cheering erupted from the crowd below, everyone thrilled at the prospect of watching Deng Yang put the opponent in his place.
Beside Lin Xue, Ye Ning murmured quietly, "Your friend is about to take a beating."
Lin Xue's heart skipped a beat. She knew how formidable Ye Ning's strength was.
Since he stated that Deng Yang was no match for Yamaguchi Kenichi, it meant that Deng Yang truly could not defeat him.
"This is bad. Should we make Deng Yang step down? Why don't you go help her beat up that little Japanese guy?" Lin Xue asked with growing anxiety.
"It's too late."
Ye Ning replied.
Just as Ye Ning finished speaking, the two of them clashed.
Deng Yang made the first move, launching a fierce punch straight toward Yamaguchi Kenichi's chest.
Her speed was blistering, and her strike was remarkably sharp—something an ordinary person would find impossible to dodge.
Yamaguchi Kenichi, however, merely sneered. Facing Deng Yang's attack, his expression was filled with absolute contempt.
He easily sidestepped Deng Yang's punch, the corner of his mouth curving upward in a mocking smile. "Flowery fists and embroidered legs."
When her first strike missed, Deng Yang did not flinch or lose her composure.
With lightning speed and absolute stealth, she thrust out a kick aimed squarely at Yamaguchi Kenichi's groin.
This was authentic Jiuzhou ancient martial arts: striking the fatal vulnerabilities the moment an attack was launched—gouging eyes and kicking groins. Once successful, the opponent would either be crippled or dead.
Yamaguchi Kenichi was startled. Though he wouldn't actually get hit, the move was vicious enough that a direct connection would leave him thoroughly incapacitated.
Without hesitation, Yamaguchi Kenichi scrambled to dodge out of the way.
Yet this time, he finally launched a counterattack, throwing a vicious side kick toward Deng Yang's back.
Ye Ning could clearly perceive the faint wisp of *qi* flowing around the opponent.
An ordinary person would find it impossible to block that kick.
Adorable as Deng Yang might be, her combat experience was exceptionally rich.
She threw herself forward in a desperate dive to evade the strike, then instantly scrambled to readjust her posture and face Yamaguchi Kenichi.
By that time, however, Yamaguchi Kenichi's next attack had already arrived.
He delivered a swift, snapping whip kick.
Deng Yang crossed her arms defensively in front of her to block the impact.
Even so, her body was sent flying by the force of Yamaguchi Kenichi's kick, crashing heavily against the edge of the ring as a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from her lips.
"President!"
"Are you alright, President?"
"President, how are you holding up?"
...
The members of the Ancient Martial Arts Club rushed onto the ring, some attempting to charge straight at Yamaguchi Kenichi.
However, the moment they got close, they were knocked flying backward by his strikes.
Those students were merely martial arts enthusiasts who exercised for fitness; without systematic training, they were barely any stronger than ordinary people.
Facing an expert endowed with *qi*, they naturally stood no chance against a single blow.
As the frontline members fell, others immediately rushed up to take their place.
Even the more cautious members of the club, who usually avoided trouble, charged forward like madmen at that moment.
Being unable to win and not daring to fight were two entirely different things.
Knowing one could not win yet still daring to fight to the death—that was known as doing the impossible despite knowing the odds, a display of immense courage.
When people of Jiuzhou encountered the Japanese, they would never retreat in the slightest.
Idiots like the Jiuzhou men's national football team—who possessed such a relaxed mindset that they readily surrendered to anyone—were absolute anomalies in Jiuzhou; if placed in a time of war, they would simply be a bunch of traitors.
One by one, they fell. In the end, not a single member of the Ancient Martial Arts Club remained standing.
Those who had charged forward a second time were knocked down once more, until they were utterly incapable of rising again.
Yamaguchi Kenichi's face was flushed with exhilaration, his eyes gleaming with contempt.
Taking on a hundred opponents single-handedly made him feel invincible.
"A bunch of Jiuzhou sickly weaklings. A hundred of you can't even defeat me alone. Such an inferior race—only our Eastern Island bloodline is the strongest in Blue Star. You lot are nothing more than inferior beings," Yamaguchi Kenichi boasted triumphantly.
His words caused the expressions of several students within the Karate Club to shift.
Although they were members of the Karate Club, they were still citizens of Jiuzhou.
Yamaguchi Kenichi's words effectively insulted all of them as well.
Lin Xue's face burned with fury as she glared daggers at Yamaguchi Kenichi. If only she knew how to fight, she would have rushed up there herself.
"Has the Eastern Island pig finished running his mouth?" a voice cut through the air, carrying a trace of unhurried nonchalance.
Lin Xue's eyes lit up. Had Ye Ning finally reached his limit?
Yamaguchi Kenichi's gaze narrowed as it locked onto Ye Ning, a cruel sneer spreading across his face.