Surprise! Incredible surprise!!
Chen Huaian originally thought that teaching Li Qingran the Qinglian Sword Canon was still a distant dream.
But then the old man casually corrected his movements, and it gave him a glimpse of hope!
At the same time, Chen Huaian confirmed something: the hacker team behind the camera must be able to see his movements. At the very least, there’s an AI system continuously monitoring all his actions, and only when the movements are standard can progress in cultivation effectively increase.
The game’s details are hardcore to the extreme, even precise to the point where the acupuncture needles provided are completely correct traditional Chinese medical techniques. So this foundational section of the Qinglian Sword Canon must also have been adapted from orthodox martial arts, hence there must be certain requirements for the movements.
“Master!” Chen Huaian turned around and bowed respectfully, tears welling up in his tiger-like eyes: “Thank you, Master, for correcting my movements!”
Old Master Li was utterly baffled, but immediately a sense of satisfaction surged through his head.
Master!?
Sometimes those old men and women would call him that too, but mostly as a joke.
As an elder, compared to recognition from peers, he preferred acknowledgment from the younger generation.
Just like how the young also hope to gain the approval of their elders, it’s mutual.
No young person had ever called him master before; the young man in front of him was the first.
Upon closer inspection, this young man was handsome, though it was unclear why he had shaved his head bald, and his complexion wasn’t very healthy. He did possess some medical skills, but unfortunately, doctors couldn’t treat themselves. Over the years, he could only endure… Regardless, after correcting his movements, he would check the young man’s pulse to see what was wrong with him.
What a fine young man, he must be healthy.
“Young man, just helping you correct your movements, no need to be so moved. I’m not really a master. I just practiced classical martial arts for a few years when I was young.” The old man smiled and corrected other mistakes in Chen Huaian’s form while continuing: “Judging by your movements, it seems you’re imitating a kind of classical martial art, somewhat similar to Tai Chi, but sharper and more rebellious, which doesn’t align with the principles of Tai Chi. But regardless of what martial art it is, the first step is always to strengthen your lower body. Before ensuring the accuracy of hand movements, the most important thing is to stabilize your lower body, these two legs.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Chen Huaian’s trembling right leg, furrowing his brows slightly: “Huh, kid, there’s something wrong with your leg…”
The old man reached out and touched it, feeling the plaster cast immediately, leaving him momentarily confused.
No way, this kid came to practice boxing in the morning despite having a disabled leg?
He touched again, frowning even deeper, feeling the swelling on Chen Huaian’s leg.
“This… Kid, let me take your pulse!”
While speaking, his hand already rested on Chen Huaian’s wrist, but as he felt it, the old man’s expression grew increasingly grim.
Ten deaths without survival!
The entire pulse reading spelled out one word – death!
Fine beads of sweat seeped from the old man’s forehead. His face darkened as he looked up at Chen Huaian, hesitating whether to tell him, but seeing the calmness on Chen Huaian’s face…
“Old man, you’re truly amazing, boxing so well, and you can even read pulses?” Chen Huaian knew the old man had figured something out.
In traditional Chinese medicine, if the doctor frowns, the outcome is unpredictable. If the doctor sighs, it means the Grim Reaper has marked the patient. The old man was now both frowning and sighing, perfectly fitting his current situation. He had already been registered by the King of Hell, waiting to be summoned any moment.
“Old man, I’m in the late stages of cancer, I won’t live much longer. I understand my condition, I can only say your pulse diagnosis is accurate.”
“Late-stage cancer? You still have the heart to laugh?” The old man looked at Chen Huaian’s pale face, feeling a deep pang of sorrow.
What a fine young man, why had such a difficult disease afflicted him?
“Since it’s already decided, then face it calmly.” Chen Huaian said freely: “In this final period of time, I just want to be happy and fulfilled. For me, walking this life once is enough. It’s just that the road I walk might be shorter than others. From another perspective, nowadays it’s so hard for university graduates to find jobs, everyone is living tough and exhausted, I might as well consider myself as getting an early retirement.”
The old man opened his mouth.
He wanted to refute Chen Huaian’s words, but after racking his brain, he realized that Chen Huaian’s attitude was the best response.
He saw freedom and magnanimity in Chen Huaian’s eyes.
Many elders don’t have such a mindset, yet this young man understood it so deeply…
Is he naturally mature?
The old man felt heavy-hearted inside.
No one is born mature and steady; growth always comes at a cost.
For a young man barely over twenty to become so insightful could only mean he had endured too many hardships, leading him to view many things with equanimity. Many unbearable injuries seemed light and breezy to him.
“Is there no chance for a cure?”
“Almost none.” Chen Huaian shook his head: “Even with insurance, it’s just prolonging life. Cancer cells have penetrated the bone marrow, the disease is beyond remedy. A complete cure is almost impossible with current medical technology. Besides, I don’t even have insurance. Sometimes I think about whether spending money on prolonging life is worth it. Right now, I believe being happy every day is more important. Seize the time to do things I used to be afraid to do but wanted to try… Not that I’ve completely given up treatment. If I can be happy and also have money for treatment, I’d be willing to prolong my life, hahaha!”
He laughed very freely and magnanimously, but the old man heard the bitterness and helplessness in his laughter.
“Young man, I can’t help with this illness, but your attitude indeed matters. I once heard of a late-stage cancer patient who practiced Tai Chi daily, maintained a good attitude, and the tumors in his body gradually shrank until they disappeared entirely… If you can endure it, you can come here every morning. I can help correct some of your movement problems. The basic parts of classical martial arts are generally similar, you don’t have to worry about learning the wrong methods.”
The old man’s anecdotes were also familiar to Chen Huaian.
He knew the old man considered him someone who would try anything since he was terminally ill.
However, he didn’t deny it because he was genuinely interested in mastering the Qinglian Sword Canon.
“Wouldn’t that trouble you too much?”
“Not at all, not at all.” The old man waved his hand with a smile: “Being able to interact with someone like you makes me feel cheerful.”
His diabetes had always been a major concern, like a sword hanging over his neck, making it hard for him to eat or sleep peacefully.
But after talking with Chen Huaian for a while, he clearly felt the accumulated troubles in his heart vanish.
It was as if the youthfulness of the young had made him feel more energetic.
…
An entire morning passed.
Chen Huaian had progressed to 80% in the first chapter of the Qinglian Sword Canon. Afterward, no matter how he practiced, it wouldn’t move forward anymore.
According to the old man: he had practiced too much, causing muscle fatigue, distorting his movements. Continuing today would be meaningless. Thus, Chen Huaian had to return to the hotel to rest. The old man even invited him home for dinner, but he still needed to plan the next live stream, so he didn’t want to bother anyone.
“I still feel something isn’t quite right.”
On the way back, Chen Huaian stroked his chin, pondering deeply.
Last night, he could only endure half an hour of practicing the first chapter of the Qinglian Sword Canon before his hands and feet went weak.
This morning, without eating, he managed to continue the movements for five or six hours, and Old Master Li even said that if he didn’t have cancer, he would be a martial arts prodigy.
Thinking about this, Chen Huaian unconsciously rubbed the glass bracelet on his wrist,
not noticing that one of the beads had dimmed slightly.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up: “I get it!”
He began rubbing the beads more vigorously, a faint smile curving his lips:
“So, I am indeed a genius!”
Previously, he wasn’t sure if his genetic potential had truly been activated.
Now, he was completely certain.
Some things ordinary people cannot learn, but geniuses can easily grasp.
Although the cancer cells shortened his lifespan, they also activated his genes.
Since that’s the case…
Chen Huaian took out his phone, his gaze landing on the upgrade table for the acupuncture technique.
Currently, the Spring Needle is level 1, the next level is the Meridian Opening Needle level 2, requiring the Spring Needle to be used a thousand times.
The number of uses has already reached 3 times, although he doesn’t know exactly how it’s calculated, he knows it will take ages to reach a thousand.
As a cash-paying player and a ‘Three-Body Man’ whose potential activation is imminent, he lacks time the most.
“Only 998.” Chen Huaian looked at the balance in his bank account and revealed a fierce smile.
Money can be earned again, but missing the golden opportunity for potential activation would result in significant losses!
“Charge TM!”
As 998 disappeared from his bank card, the game interface showed the Spring Needle Technique glowing brightly,
the light flowed downward until it illuminated and activated the Meridian Opening Needle Technique below:
[Your skill ‘Golden Needle Acupuncture’ has advanced to level 2, gaining new needle technique: Meridian Opening Needle]
“Good, good, good, this is the power of charging!”
At this moment, he had returned to the hotel, immediately closed the windows and doors, sat on the sofa with shining eyes looking at the Meridian Opening Needle.
[Do you wish to start the needle technique tutorial? Note: The Meridian Opening Needle is extremely dangerous, and if proficiency is insufficient, it will likely result in disability!]
“Yes!”
[Please select an acupuncture target.]
Who should it be? Definitely not Li Qingran, maybe catch a wild boar later?
Chen Huaian paused.
Then he saw the phone automatically switch to the camera, the camera automatically flipped to selfie mode.
The screen showed himself.
[Selection complete, please begin the acupuncture!]
Chen Huaian: “???”
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