Chapter Twenty-Four: Defying Fate

What does it feel like when a person's body trembles with excitement? Sun Simin experienced it intensely today—his hands shook, his lips quivered, and his entire being was shuddering uncontrollably. Today his eyes were truly opened: he had actually witnessed a legendary, near-mythical formation, one said to defy the very limits of medicine!

"But I've heard this Nine-Palace Restoration Needle demands the highest skill from the practitioner, and the patient must also meet strict requirements," he said. "Qin Tian, do you think you can handle it?"

Sun Simin took several deep breaths to steady himself before asking the question. Qin Tian shook his head. He was anything but confident. The many dangers of the Nine-Palace Restoration Needle were clearly detailed in the medical classic he had studied. Should anything go wrong, not only could the patient die on the spot—he himself could suffer a dreadful backlash. In the best-case scenario, he might end up an imbecile.

Yes, the backlash.

This formation affected not just the patient, but also rebounded on the one wielding the needles. The Nine-Palace Restoration Needle was not administered by hand, but with the practitioner's inner energy guiding the needles. Qin Tian could just barely manage to control the needles with his energy, but in truth, he had little confidence.

"Perhaps you should reconsider?" Sun Simin, ever dedicated to saving lives, actually tried to dissuade Qin Tian from proceeding. The main reason was that Qin Tian’s talent was extraordinary, and it would be a great loss to the world of medicine if he were to perish here.

But Qin Tian shook his head. Giving up was not in his nature. If things truly became desperate, he still had a last resort. The medical classic had recorded a method to break the backlash, though it would leave some aftereffects—ones that could be remedied over time.

"Master Sun, I'll need your help in a moment," Qin Tian began preparing.

"Of course, no problem!" Sun Simin patted his chest in assurance. As a master of the medical arts, assisting someone else was hardly a challenge.

"When I count to three, please turn off all the equipment here," Qin Tian instructed. "I've already checked—there's a main power switch in that room. Just pull the lever. Then, please leave as quickly as possible, close the door behind you, and don't let anyone else in."

"Got it!" Sun Simin nodded.

"Ready!" Qin Tian took another deep breath.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Now!"

At Qin Tian’s command, Sun Simin immediately shut off the power and rushed out of the room, closing the door tightly behind him. Without the support of the medical equipment, the patient's condition would quickly deteriorate, leaving Qin Tian with little time to act.

He picked up his silver needles. If one looked closely, the needles hovered just a hair’s breadth above the patient’s skin—not quite touching, separated by a gap as fine as a strand of hair. This was the true art: controlling the needles with energy.

Qin Tian moved swiftly, placing the needles until the patient’s limbs and torso bristled with silver—eighty-one needles in all. When he finished, his fingers danced across the patient’s body in a series of pressing motions, as graceful as a masterful dance.

"Let it succeed—please let it succeed!" Qin Tian pleaded silently, sweat beading on his brow. This procedure had drained nearly all his energy, spirit, and will.

After the sequence of massage was complete, he exhaled in exhaustion, but the anxiety in his heart did not ease. Grabbing a chair, he slumped down. So far, at least, he had avoided the backlash—but whether the patient would survive remained uncertain.

"Master Sun, what's happening in there?" Those outside were growing restless.

"Don’t worry. Trust in young Qin Tian—he can do it," Sun Simin reassured them.

"Tch, just a barefoot doctor using some obscure technique. He must have gotten lucky before," Li Xiaohan scoffed with disdain.

"Doesn't matter if it's a black cat or a white cat—as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat! If you’re so capable, why don’t you try saving the patient instead of whining here?" Zhao Zhongyi shot Li Xiaohan a glare, silently thinking he had yet to deal with this man, and here he was still making trouble.

Li Xiaohan shrank back and fell silent.

Inside the ward, Qin Tian urged softly, "Come on, you have to pull through!" He could see the patient's condition had improved, but the most dangerous phase was not over yet. A final crisis remained. The virus, before dying, would surely stage one last, desperate counterattack.

Sure enough, soon the patient's body broke out in red swelling, and the concentrated clusters of black virus began to surge throughout the host’s system. This was the virus's death throes.

The Nine-Palace Restoration Needle had stifled the virus’s ability to reproduce and shrunk their territory to the bare minimum. Inside the patient, a fierce battle raged: the repair cells swallowed the virus, while some were themselves pierced or devoured in turn.

A struggle of devouring and counter-devouring unfolded within the patient.

The true power of the Nine-Palace Restoration Needle was to harness the patient’s own strength, unleashing all their latent life force. This method’s stimulation was reversible, and could be restored over time through careful recovery. There existed a weakened version called the Nine-Palace Needle, but its stimulation of life force was irreversible—thus, its use was forbidden except in dire emergencies.

The Nine-Palace Restoration Needle, however, had no such side effects. As long as the practitioner was skilled enough, it could be used freely.

Qin Tian watched the fierce war playing out within the patient’s body. He could do nothing more now—it was up to the patient to endure.

Half an hour passed.

An hour.

Two hours.

Three hours.

By now, dawn crept across the sky. The night had slipped away. Qin Tian’s eyelids grew heavy; he longed to rest for a moment.

But suddenly, the patient let out a cry, startling Qin Tian awake. He instantly became alert. This was the crucial moment. After blockage came relief.

He quickly and methodically removed each silver needle, then began massaging the patient again. He continued for a full half hour, his arms aching from the effort.

At last, the patient's face was a deep, inky black, and black tears streamed from his eyes. Thick, oily black liquid oozed from his ears, nose, and mouth as well. All this discharge, expelled from the seven orifices, was the now-inactive virus.

Wiping sweat from his brow, Qin Tian grinned. He had done it—he had really done it!

After resting for a moment, he opened the door to find the crowd outside watching him with anxious, hopeful eyes. Qin Tian flashed a smile and announced, "Congratulations, everyone. We’ve succeeded. The patient is cured!"