Chapter 104: The Treatment (Part II)

If it were the Hu Mo of the past, he likely would not have boasted or made such a promise. But now, he possessed absolute confidence.

Huang Sheng immediately sprang into action, removing Huang Zong’s clothes piece by piece to reveal his dark, sleek, and muscular frame. Hu Mo’s eyes lit up; he had not expected that Huang Zong, despite being crippled for so many years, could maintain such a physique. It was clear that before his injury, he had put great effort into his cultivation, and even after becoming crippled, he had not let himself go. This only bolstered Hu Mo’s confidence further.

Huang Zong felt incredibly embarrassed as Huang Sheng helped him into the large wooden barrel. The moment he submerged, a look of intense agony appeared on his face. The medicinal liquid in the barrel was scalding, and his skin turned bright red the instant he sank into it.

"Brother Huang Zong, bear with it. The greatest pain and the most difficult hurdle of this treatment is the absorption of the medicine. In a moment, you will feel soreness, numbness, itching, and pain, but there is absolutely no danger to your life. I hope you can hold on. I have used my Battle Qi of Fire to stabilize the temperature of the liquid. You must endure this for half an hour. Since we have begun the treatment, we must see it through to the end, otherwise, all our efforts will be in vain!" Hu Mo’s tone was solemn, his heart taut. He knew the level of this pain was no less than having one's flesh sliced or bones scraped.

"Fine! Brother, do what you must; I will surely hold on!" Huang Zong said, biting his lip. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of his mouth and dripped into the medicinal liquid, quickly diluting and disappearing.

Hu Mo hurriedly grabbed a wooden stick and placed it in his mouth. This kind of pain was no simple matter; if he couldn't hold on, he might very well bite off his tongue, which would be fatal.

Huang Sheng watched from the side, trembling with anxiety. He wanted to do something, yet he found himself helpless. He could only watch Hu Mo, his face filled with unease.

Hu Mo wore a grave expression as he opened a cloth bundle, revealing a row of long, shimmering silver needles. The dazzling, icy light they cast made Huang Sheng tremble with fear.

"Huang Sheng, don't worry. When you were ill, the situation was many times more dangerous than this, and didn't you make it through? Last time, I used the Life-and-Death Needle Technique on you—a fifty-fifty chance—so your life was essentially a stroke of luck. But this time is different; Brother Huang Zong’s injuries are much easier to treat than yours. It just requires enduring some hardship; there is no risk to his life. Just watch from the side and be sure not to disturb me!" Hu Mo said sternly. His furrowed brows radiated an irresistible aura, causing Huang Sheng to nod without a second thought and stand aside in obedience.

Hu Mo drew the silver needles, his mind constantly retracing the profound techniques of his past life. The Life-and-Death needles were too aggressive, and he dared not use them again. After much deliberation, he decided to use the "Tai-Xu Needles," the most gentle of the three great needle techniques of the Xiaoyao Sect.

Hu Mo had learned many things, but he favored medicine above all else. He was highly proficient in all three techniques: the Tai-Xu Needles, the Qian-Kun Needles, and the Life-and-Death Needles. Given Huang Zong’s current state, both the Life-and-Death and Qian-Kun techniques were too violent; only the relatively mild Tai-Xu Needles were suitable.

The half-hour passed quickly, yet for Huang Zong, it felt longer than three lifetimes. Soreness, numbness, itching, and pain—all sorts of sensations surged from every part of his body. The agonizing feeling made him dig his teeth deep into the wooden stick.

Meanwhile, the once-colorful medicinal liquid began to fade as a vast amount of its potency seeped into Huang Zong’s body. Before long, intricate, multicolored patterns appeared on his skin, and his pores began to ooze a pitch-black, ink-like substance, leaving spots that looked terrifying.

Huang Sheng could not bear to see Huang Zong in such pain and turned his head away. However, the pained groans still tore at his heart. He wished he were the one suffering instead of his brother.

Hu Mo channeled his Battle Qi into the needles, which floated naturally beside him as if they were alive. He glanced at Huang Sheng and said in a deep voice, "Huang Sheng, go guard the door. Do not let anyone disturb us. If something goes wrong, it will be hard to recover. If it becomes serious, both Brother Huang Zong and I could face life-threatening consequences. There can be no mistakes!"

Huang Sheng jolted, gave a quick acknowledgment, and ran to the door, closing it behind him. He dared not take Hu Mo’s orders lightly.

Still uneasy, Hu Mo set up two layers of barriers using Chaos Water and Fire the moment the door was shut, ensuring absolute security. It wasn't that he was being overly cautious, but rather that the Tai-Xu technique demanded it. The Tai-Xu needles tested one’s state of mind; from the moment the needle was inserted until it was removed, one’s focus could not waver in the slightest. Using the realm of wandering the void, the needles moved as if they were light as air—like a dragonfly skimming the water—yet the needle energy penetrated every acupuncture point. Compared to the Life-and-Death technique, the Tai-Xu needles were less miraculous, but far more gentle.

Huang Zong’s body shuddered in the barrel, seemingly pushed to his limit. Hu Mo clearly heard the sound of the wooden stick cracking under his teeth.

Hu Mo sighed softly and moved behind Huang Zong. With slightly curled fingers, he drove a silver needle directly into the Baihui point. In that instant, Huang Zong’s body suddenly stiffened, followed by even more violent tremors.

Hu Mo’s fingers flickered like a pianist, and soon the remaining needles were thrust into various acupuncture points on Huang Zong’s body. Each needle was inserted and withdrawn in a flash, with no hesitation. Hu Mo’s movements became increasingly rapid, his expression growing intense, as if he were possessed. The needles danced through the air, frequently diving into the barrel to strike almost every acupuncture point on Huang Zong’s body.

However, unlike the previous time, all the lethal points—except for the Baihui—were only pricked shallowly and immediately withdrawn; they were not as vicious as the Life-and-Death needles.

Huang Zong’s groans gradually subsided, and his agonizing cries vanished completely. By now, he was shedding black fluid that flowed through his pores and into the medicinal liquid. His once-variegated skin began to turn snowy white, revealing a complexion that even a woman would envy, as if he had been bathed in milk.

The scent of medicine in the room began to fade, replaced by a nauseating, fishy stench. Even Hu Mo frowned and held his breath, beginning the final steps of the process.

He was very satisfied; everything had proceeded smoothly without a hitch. The toxins within Huang Zong’s body had been fully stimulated and neutralized by the one hundred and eight medicinal ingredients. Much like his own rebirth, only by purging these toxins could a true rebirth be achieved.

Content, he moved the Tai-Xu technique to its final stage. This step was crucial and was known as "Spirit Replenishment." The meaning was clear: it involved injecting the practitioner's own spiritual power and Battle Qi into the needles, and then into the patient. Only in this way could Huang Zong’s injuries be fully recovered. This was the step Hu Mo cared about most.

With the exception of the needle in the Baihui point, all other needles had been retracted. Holding the end of the needle with one hand, a steady stream of profound Battle Qi flowed into Huang Zong’s body. At this moment, a look of comfort replaced the calm on Huang Zong’s face; the sensation of being enlightened was truly magnificent.

However, just as he reached the critical moment, a jarring commotion broke out outside, nearly causing Hu Mo to suffer a backlash and fall into a state of chaos. He regretted not setting up a soundproof barrier; the distraction of the noise was truly dangerous.

He held his breath and focused, his consciousness sinking entirely into his body. He could not be disturbed, at least not for the next half-hour.

Outside the door, Huang Sheng looked coldly at Huang Kun, who was confronting him. Behind Huang Kun, several warriors radiating Battle Qi stood straight; judging by their aura, they were at least at the level of Battle Masters. Huang Sheng was alone, yet despite his strength being barely that of a Battle Warrior, he stood firm against their combined pressure. His face had turned slightly pale.

"Third Brother, what are you doing blocking the door? Can’t your Second Brother come to see you? Heh, could there be some secret in that room?" Huang Kun said with a mocking smile, walking toward Huang Sheng as he spoke.

Huang Sheng’s expression was as dark as water. As Huang Kun took a step forward, he suddenly barked, "Stop! Take one more step, and I will..."

"And you will what? What is there for you to be arrogant about in front of me? My dear Third Cousin, you really are too ignorant of the situation." Guan Ming stepped out from the side, swaying arrogantly in front of Huang Sheng.

Huang Sheng felt a rush of urgency, yet he felt no fear toward these men. Given his current status in the Hu family, he didn't worry about their petty tricks. But today was different; even if it cost him his life, Huang Sheng would not let anyone break in.

He glanced at Guan Ming, who was pacing like a monkey, and suddenly burst into laughter. "Monkey Guan, what are you posturing for? Do you think that because you’ve become my Second Brother’s dog, you can bite whomever you please? My Second Brother hasn't even spoken yet—you mangy dog, get as far away from me as you can!"

Preemptive strikes were the way of warfare. Although Huang Sheng’s strength was inferior, he was confident he could stall them with his wits.

Guan Ming, hearing this, jumped with rage and raised his fist, ready to strike.

Huang Sheng did not change his expression, sneering, "If you aren't afraid of dying, go ahead and try!"

Guan Ming’s fist froze in mid-air, not daring to descend. A chill ran through him as he suddenly remembered that Huang Sheng’s status was completely different from before.

"Heh, you don't dare. You’re just the nephew of one of my father’s concubines; what gives you the right to throw your weight around in my Huang family? I’ve been generous enough to overlook your past actions, but if you provoke me now, I can’t guarantee there won’t be more rumors of people jumping into wells in the Huang manor!" Huang Sheng sneered at Huang Kun. The tense atmosphere instantly stiffened, and Huang Kun’s face suddenly changed.