The point Dazhui is a vital meridian point on the human body; this point isn't just said to be capable of taking a life, but also of bringing someone back from the dead.

The First Boss was an expert with needles; whether saving a life or ending one, this was a minor task for him. However, Zhou Huan's current condition truly required his unique method of treatment; otherwise, it would prove immensely difficult to manage, and his approach had its own sound rationale.

“Big Brother, can he withstand you doing this? If he wakes up still the same as before, or even worse, what then?” The Second Boss of this stronghold was actually quite reasonable, just perhaps a bit blunt. Seeing him inquire about Zhou Huan’s condition showed he was concerned about not owing anyone any favors or causing trouble for anyone.

The First Boss remained silent, focusing entirely on steadily inserting the long needles he held into several of Zhou Huan’s major vital points. When he finally plunged the last needle in, Zhou Huan went completely limp, his body devoid of sensation.

“Big Brother, why has he stopped moving?” The Third Boss asked, still perplexed.

“I have never used this technique in front of you before. The only reason I ended up as the leader of this mountain stronghold is because I made a mistake using this very move years ago, which led my Master to send me down the mountain, where I then befriended you two good brothers.”

“Big Brother made a mistake? Is that really true?” As the First Boss’s two younger sworn brothers, they naturally placed absolute trust in him, a degree of faith that even surpassed what they held for their own blood relatives.

The First Boss shook his head and laughed heartily, “That is all ancient history now, over twenty years ago. When I was studying medicine with my Master, my acupuncture skills were truly exceptional. I handled all the village’s ailments, great and small. It was just that one time—a patient was critically ill, and we performed emergency needling, targeting only the major points. My insertion technique at the time was incredibly precise; there was no way for any error to creep in. But something went wrong anyway, and the villager we treated died. This brought shame upon my Master’s face, so he passed the position of sect leader to my junior martial brother, and I retreated here into seclusion.”

“Big Brother, are you certain your needling was flawless?”

“Second Brother, when has Big Brother ever lied to us!”

The Second Boss rested his chin on his hand, his eyes darting around as he analyzed, “Big Brother, if you are truly certain your needling was without error, then I have a different view on that incident!”

“Heh, actually, I suspected as much a long time ago, but I have no intention of dealing with it further. Let fate decide. Our current task is to save this fellow; he will be of use to us in the future; we will certainly have need of him!” As the First Boss finished speaking, the Second Boss narrowed his eyes and gave a faint smile.

“Big Brother, I actually saw through your intentions a while ago. However, I can’t quite see what great ability this fellow possesses. Though judging by his speech and the items in his bag, he seems like someone who deals with the dead.” In the entire stronghold, the Second Boss was the most meticulous and prone to deep thought.

The First Boss immediately showed displeasure upon hearing this, “Why did you go through his bag? We are men of honor; we don’t do such things! Tsk!”

“It was my fault, Little Brother, but I still don’t understand why Big Brother insists on using that technique on him?”

“Ay, Second Brother, you always have so many questions—you’re too tedious!” The Third Boss, conversely, chided the Second Boss.

The Second Boss was quite adept at sarcasm, “What do you think? Do you think everyone is like you, just eating and drinking all day, thinking about nothing? If that were the case, this mountain would have been in chaos long ago!”

“Alright, stop arguing. I’ll tell you the truth. This man is going to participate in the Dharma Convention, and my junior martial brother is also going. The skills displayed by this Master Zhou are precisely the bane of our sect. Furthermore, he might possess other esoteric arts. Therefore, at the Dharma Convention, Zhou Huan is bound to cross paths with my junior martial brother. Teaching him a lesson, but not killing him, would serve my purpose. This man has virtue, and it will show my junior brother that the world doesn't revolve around him. This will also fulfill a wish I’ve held for many years.”

Before the First Boss finished speaking, the Third Boss, impatient, blurted out, “Big Brother, why make such a fuss? We have at least several hundred brothers on this mountain now. With just one command from you, wouldn't teaching your wretched junior brother a lesson be a simple matter?”

“You don't understand. If it were that easy, I would have done it already, and you wouldn't need to mention it. Enough. Help me lift him up; I am about to withdraw the needles. Whether he recovers now rests on this.”

Just then, Shi Bingyuan appeared from seemingly nowhere and demanded, “What have you people done to my Master?”

“Relax, your Master is fine. Our Big Brother is currently applying acupuncture to save him.”

Shi Bingyuan hurried to Zhou Huan’s side and felt his nose—there was no breath. Shi Bingyuan froze instantly, and a wave of fury surged up, followed by a loud roar, “You villains! You used such ruthless measures?”

“Hey, don't wrongly accuse good men. Our Big Brother is indeed helping, but whether he can cure him is another matter entirely!”

The First Boss smiled towards Shi Bingyuan, “It’s fine, you don’t need to worry. I know my limits and won't harm him. The fact that he isn't breathing now is because I sealed his vital points. Once he manages to unseal those major points, the Zhenqi within him will circulate smoothly and be under his command.”

“He has no breath now, yet you speak of saving him! Even if you killed my Master, I will have words with you!” Shi Bingyuan spoke, his face contorted with anger, raising his hand to strike.

Unfortunately, the Third Boss was purely a man of brute force, and the power in his grip was immense. He immediately seized Shi Bingyuan’s hand and bellowed, “You old fool, why are you so obtuse? Can't you understand even now?”

The First Boss pulled the Third Boss’s hand away, “Enough. Brother Bingyuan doesn’t trust me. You can check his pulse; as long as his heart is beating, he won’t die. Rest assured!”

At this, the Second Boss remained silent. The First Boss then carefully removed every needle from Zhou Huan’s body.

“There, my first course of treatment is complete. The next step is to prepare medicine, but since three ingredients are missing here, they can only be purchased in the capital city; it’s difficult to find them elsewhere. That’s why I sealed his vital points: firstly, to help him conserve energy, allowing him to quickly grasp the use of the two streams of Qi and increase his force; secondly, it serves as practice for me. It’s been a long time since I used needles, so a refresher is always beneficial.”

Having said this, the First Boss smiled quite cheerfully and addressed Shi Bingyuan, “Don't worry, your Master can go for over ten days without food. The ingredients I gave you in the twice-cooked pork a few days ago were medicated to give people enough stamina to sustain themselves. Once he takes my medicine, I guarantee he’ll be fine; at the very least, he won't suffer from long-term fainting spells due to internal Qi fluctuations anymore.”

Seeing this, Shi Bingyuan became bewildered, unsure whether to trust these bandits. Yet, he truly felt an unusual surge of strength, as if he had inexhaustible energy. It seemed the meat he ate previously had special effects. After careful consideration, Shi Bingyuan made up his mind, saying, “Very well, I will trust you for now. Tell me, how will my Master be treated?”

“It’s not a problem. Let him sleep soundly here tonight, and tomorrow morning, I will dispatch men to escort you to the capital. You will take the shortcut. Once you reach the capital, you can inquire everywhere for these few medicinal herbs. But you must remember the exact weight, and you must not exceed ten days, counting from today.”

Shi Bingyuan listened, feeling unsettled. He was unfamiliar with the capital. If he couldn't find the herbs within ten days, wouldn't his Master’s life be forfeit!

“I ask you, if the herbs cannot be found, what will happen to my Master?”

“Then he will only endure repeated collapses and repeated awakenings—he will remain in that state!”